Do Business Owners Rely on Professionals Too Much? (DO They Have Any Choice?)


By Art Consoli

I just had a conversation with a very successful real estate developer who told me two stories about lawyers; they are both worth passing on. In the first he mentioned that he had just received a bill from an attorney for sending a letter to a tenant who had not paid their last month’s rent. My friend said that the letter was less than a full page and the bill was for $1500. He decided this was excessive and took the bill to the attorney (his office was in the same building) and asked what was behind the charge.

The attorney went on to explain that he had to do some involved research and then there was the time I took to get the letter exactly correct and the secretary’s time to do the task and then file the appropriate back-up if further work were required.

My friend, said the lawyer made it sound routine and that the amount was really too small to question. He almost implied that the time spent discussing the cost was almost an affront.

My friend said he then told the attorney, “I’ll pay this bill but you’ll never get another piece of work from me.”

With that, the attorney reduced the bill to $500 -- a $1000 discount!

This made my friend even angrier.

His second story involved a lease negotiation. It seems my friend had paid an attorney (not the same one) to prepare a very thorough lease which he could use as a master lease with tenants for his various properties. In the course of events he used the lease with a new prospective tenant and got a reply from the tenant which contained such comments as: “My lawyer said that such-and-such was excessive, and that this-and-that was probably not enforceable and should be stricken for clarity sake.’ There were more comments of the same type.

The lease, with a number of strikeovers and new clauses was attached… so was the lawyer’s letter.

As my friend was going through the changes he began reading the letter from the lawyer. He noticed that it was the same lawyer he had used to create the master lease.

My friend called him and asked him what was going on. “Well I’m not representing you now. And I do know where that lease has potential problems. So if you don’t want me to take the other side of a negotiation and you don’t want me to handle the actual use of the lease, then just put me on a monthly retainer.”

My friend feels as though the lawyers have taken way too much control over the businessperson’s life. (I do too.) He points out that laws, which are created by lawyers, are behind all of the documents created by lawyers; generate the disputes which are argued by lawyers in front of a judge who is a lawyer.

The playing field is not level, the deck is stacked against the non-lawyer -- and the lawyers’ fees keep rising.

Have we, as business owners, reached the point where, to paraphrase President Hoover, we businessmen will have a chicken in every pot and two lawyers in our garage?

My next article will discuss CPAs and how much they take out of the cash flow machine without adding to the quality of the goods and service produced.

Art Consoli held eight corporate positions with Johnson & Johnson before starting his first business. He went on to build over twenty businesses from patents or ideas or from businesses others couldn't make successful. These ranged from starting a veterinarian drug company to taking over a steel fabricating company to developing the first manufactured home subdivision to qualify for every private and government assisted mortgage program in Arizona. He also did ten workouts for lenders and owners; the last was a $30 million, 300 employee, precision parts manufacturing plant that made parts for the auto industry. Consoli's unique background and skills allow him to speak and write about how someone with limited experience can do a self-evaluation which will let him decide which business opportunity is best, how to evaluate opportunities and gain control over the one which offers the greatest potential and then manage that business to success. Readers of his book call and write to tell him how much his book has helped their lives and improved their business.

http://www.artconsoli.com/


More Resources

Business Is No Guarantee of Riches
Q: I'm thinking about starting a business since that seems to be how most rich people get rich. I don't have any business experience or much money, but I'm a fast learner and have lots of energy.
Key to Starting Your Own Clothing Company
Starting your own private label clothing company is not as difficult as you may think. I assure you that the founding members of Volcom, Paul Frank, Hurley and Von Dutch, are not mad geniuses of fashion.
How to Start a Franchise
Franchising InformationFranchise oppotunities are all around us today. You may pop into Starbucksfor coffee and then head for lunch at MacDonalds before returning home andordering your dinner from another local franchise, Pizza Hut.
Realism vs. Optimism in the Business Plan
The most important function of a business plan is to create interest among investors so that they write a check. In achieving this goal, business plan writers are often challenged by determining the proper level of optimism in their plan.
Time Management Tips for Solo Entrepreneurs
Does it seem like everyone and everything is vying for yourattention all at once? It can be hard for solo entrepreneursto know what to do first, let alone try to find the time to get caught up. Here are some time management tips that will help youto stay on top of it all:1.
Developing A Contract
As a service provider, the most important type of "boundary" you can set as a business owner involves those policies and procedures that govern how you interact with your clients. The more precise you can be about the services you provide, your fee structure, and what you expect from your clients, the smoother your work relationships will be.
7 Small Business and Self Employed Law of Attraction Principles For Success
It is widely held that one of the most important ingredients in small business success is perseverance. Deciding on a strategy and sticking with it.
Franchise Business and Franchise Businesses
Franchise business is being part of a successfully proven business that has a name or trademark that is well known and profitable. Franchise businesses are strategically tried and marketable with options to expand by offering products and services that appeal to the consumer.
What Part of Handwriting on the Wall Dont You Understand - They Dont Hire People Over 50
In a recent talk to the Detroit Economic Club, President Bush told of a powerful statement made to John Bailey by his wife, "Just what part of the writing on the wall don't your understand - companies don't want people over 50!" The White House staff had become aware of an amazing story of entrepreneurial success stemming from John's wife's words.John's wife was very quick to read the writing on the wall, rationalizing that it would be virtually impossible for John to find a new job.
Dream It, Create It, Become It! Design a Dream Board
Have you ever heard of "Dream Boards" or "Treasure Maps"? A Dream Board is a visual picture of the dreams you have for your life. Some of my clients also use this concept to visualize their businesses! It's their first business plan.
The Use of Common Stock in Venture Capital Transactions
When raising capital for a business venture, a company can either raise debt capital, equity capital or a combination of the two. Debt capital is money loaned to the company at an agreed interest rate for a fixed time period.
Entrepreneurial Business Plan The Down And Dirty Way
Does the idea of running your own business sound exciting? Do you have a business up and running and want to take it to the next level?After coaching hundreds of entrepreneurs at various stages of their evolution, I've found that the answers to these 5 questions can make or break any endeavor. Of course there are lots of other areas that must be addressed, however these will get you moving in the right direction quickly.
How To Find Focus And Turn Your Talent Into A Thriving Professional Business
There are tons of books and articles available to help professionals start up their business, but few that give practical insights on how to nurture your business once it's out of its infancy. At some point, every self-employed professional reaches the same dilemma: how to build a strong brand and grow their business without taking on too many clients, undervaluing their expertise, or sacrificing their lifestyle.
Youth Entrepreneurship, A Disappointing Truth
The psychology of entrepreneurship can be very rewarding to one who dreams of starting their own business. The freedom of being your own boss has billions of people seeking financial independence and other entrepreneurial expectations.
Oil Change Guys History; Part II
Franchise companies are not born they are made and when studying the history of franchise companies, it is amazing how similar they really are. To continue this story we are in the height of the Dot Com Bubble with money flowing in Silicon Valley and personal services and labor is at a premium indeed;Before Oil Maxx's downfall, Oil Maxx with the foresight of Mr.
The Entrepreneurs Dilemma
In business, you plan to protect your inventory, your unique ideas and approach, and your money. It's easy to replenish inventory, come up with new ideas and make more money.
Is Running a Business for You?
Not everyone is cut out to run a business. Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur.
How to Become a Successful Entrepreneur on the Web
Becoming a successful entrepreneur in the online world is no different than becoming a successful entrepreneur in the brick-and-mortar world. Both tasks require vision, determination, and hard work.
Six Degrees of Separation
Through just five or six intermediaries, you could be linked to millions of others. It is the notion behind what has been dubbed the small world effect.
PR That Entrepreneurs Often Overlook
If that sounds like you, here's what you may be missing once the new enterprise is launchedPublic relations that really does something about the behaviors of those key outside audiences that most affect your new enterprise.PR that uses a fundamental blueprint to deliver external stakeholder behavior change - the kind that leads directly to achieving your venture's objectives.

More Entrepreneurialism Information:

Related Articles

Find Me the Expert on This!
Many people who set up as consultants never make more than a minimal living. They get some clients who like them, but are so dependent on these few businesses that the resignation of a key contact can destroy their business for months ahead.
Financial Strategies for Transitioning from Salaried to Solo
7 Financial Strategies for Transitioning from Salaried to SoloA 40's something woman was talking to me the other day about her growing sense of frustration with "working for someone else" and her longing to "do my own thing, drive my own wagon". But, she said with consternation, "I have family counting on me and a standard of living I don't want to sacrifice.
The Reluctant Entrepreneur
It seems odd to think of a person opening a shop, knowing that they're not at all interested in selling or in face-to-face interaction with customers. But that's exactly what many Internet business owners have done.
Four Steps to Entrepreneurship
As more and more people start or consider starting their own business, it is important that they understand the core steps that are required to launch successful ventures. These steps include spotting, assessing, selecting and executing upon opportunities.
Solving the Million Dollar Mystery: 4 Steps To Create A Turn-Key Business
You're a smart, hardworking entrepreneur, and you're moving fast. You are highly educated in your field and your business is growing and getting busier each day.
Differentiation Strategies for Franchise Companies
With the growing number of franchise offerings recently it is difficult for the smallest franchise companies to compete. They generally do not have the advertising budgets to pick and choose which markets the franchise prospects will be calling from.
Protect Your ASSets in Business
Many people are starting an online business without a thought about the danger this may pose to their personal assets. The type of protection you need depends upon the nature of your business and the amount of your personal assets.
Getting Rich Isnt a Bad Idea
You've seen plenty of articles claiming to offer you the secret to getting rich. Some ideas, however, are thin veneers covering some scheme that often involves multi-level marketing or a service with questionable intents.
Learn how to Compress Time
In the popular 1980's movie "Dune," man learned that by "folding space" the distance between two points shortened and he could cover those distances faster. Around 1995, we found a substance that could bend time in the business community -- it was called Venture Capital.
The Ideal Length of Your Business Plan
How long should a business plan be? A business plan needs to be whatever length is required to excite the investor, prove that management truly understands the market, and detail the execution strategy. From surveys of investor needs, Growthink has found that 15 to 25 pages of text is the optimum length in which to accomplish this.
Corporate Espionage in Franchising
Franchising Trade Journals do not do well, because today with all the industry regulations only about 1800 active franchise actually exist in the US. Down sharply over the past five years.
Your Company Needs A Mission Statement; Make It Count
Does anyone remember that book "Built to Last" done y the Stanford class and professor? Well change that to "Built to Merge." My grandfather was personal friends with Bill Hewlett and David Packard and I bet they would not have wanted this merger with Compaq either.
Entrepreneurship: What does it REALLY mean?
Introduction:In a world where ideas drive economies, it is no wonder that innovation and entrepreneurship are often seen as inseparable bedfellows. The governments around the world are starting to realize that in order to sustain progress and improve a country's economy, the people have to be encouraged and trained to think out-of-the-box and be constantly developing innovative products and services.
Prescription for the Future and Technological Revolutions
The world sure has changed in the last two-decades hasn't it? When I started out in business, there were no cell phones, fax machines, computers, etc. And I am not that old, having just retired at age 40.
A Dorm Room With A View
As a senior in high school, he paid cash for a BMW with money made by selling newspapers. In 1983, as a college freshman, he sold custom-made PCs and parts out of his dorm room?hiding them behind his roommate's shower curtain whenever Mom and Dad visited.
The 9 Key Distinctions of Successful Solo-Entrepreneurs!
SUCCESSFUL Solo-Entrepreneurs approach life and business from a perspective that is new, fresh, and rather unorthodox. The differences are subtle, yet significant.
Executive Suites - A Way To Save Cash
Cash is one of the most important resources to a new business. One of the best ways to conserve cash for a startup business that is in need of office space is to rent an executive suite rather than to rent traditional office space.
Raising Capital for Your Business - How Long Does it Take?
Most companies vastly underestimate the time commitment necessary to successfully complete a financing. In actuality, a company seeking financing needs to budget between 500 to 1000 work-hours to the capital-raising process, spread out over a 6-9 month time period.
Why eBay Is A Smart Choice For Entrepreneurs
Attention entrepreneurs: If you think the search for the ultimate moneymaking business opportunity is like searching for a very small needle in a very big internet haystack, then think again!Perhaps you've been searching the worldwide marketplace and are both overwhelmed and frustrated by an endless stream of internet ads promising you unfathomable fortunes, each claiming that their opportunity is the answer to your prayers. Perhaps this avalanche of information is giving you an acute migraine.
How Entrepreneurs Make Money Selling Global Brands On and Off-line
Did you know that thousands of companies from all over the world are looking for enthusiastic individuals to represent their products overseas? That person can be you. From Chinese toys to Brazilian bikinis people are making money reselling all kinds of products for a profit.