The Real Secret Sauce Is Generosity

Photo by Jonas Jacobsson on Unsplash

By Mary Aviles

A fellow consultant friend invited me to speak to her BUILD Basics cohort about Marketing Research. I always try to accommodate these types of requests because speaking with business owners and entrepreneurs is one of my favorite things. At the end of my presentation, one of the audience members asked if I’d be willing to answer her question “as long as it didn’t give away any of my secrets.”

I make a conscious effort to exhibit generosity in my work. I believe that this practice helps to differentiate me. I have been both fortunate and intentional about partnering with other like-minded professionals—individuals who Adam Grant would categorize as “givers.“ I don’t believe in “secret sauce.” After all, many of the frameworks I rely on or adapt were developed by fellow consultants. Management consulting is not immune to disruption. Knowledge commoditization is a thing.

Despite that reality, I believe there will always be a market for solutions tailored to a client’s specific needs, rooted in context, with ingredients like my unique experiences, perspective, and a pinch of crazy hard work ethic.

If you’re seeking an alternative consulting or service provider experience, let’s connect.