Industry insights: the consulting industry

This month we’re in Gloucester to hear from Dr John Henry Looney from Sustainable Direction Ltd.

Learn about how John Henry’s passion for sustainability is helping businesses in this short video.

Meet John Henry, a hugely passionate environmentalist whose mission is to help organisations work with better the natural world. After working in the industry for over 30 years, John Henry used his learnings and experience to start his own consultancy business, Sustainable Direction, in 2007. 10 years on, the company has helped its many clients, including small businesses, local councils and national government, take a step in the right, sustainable direction and decrease their carbon footprints.

Watch our short video to find out more about the consulting industry:

When it comes to starting a successful consulting business from the ground up, John Henry is an expert and says these are the things you need to consider:

1. Be passionate about what you do and know why you’re doing it. Showing your passion to your customers is key to building trust and strong relationships. So if the reason why you get up in the morning is because you’re motivated and love what you do, then the rest will fall into place.
2. Choose the right clients to work with. One of my team’s hardest lessons learnt was finding clients that worked well with our business. Doing research and putting checks in place first will help to solve this problem so you can keep pushing towards your goals.  
3. Be true to yourself and do what’s right for your business. You’re doing what you do for a reason, so don’t be pressured by organisations, such as marketing firms, who might tell you to do things a different way. You know your business better than anyone else, so it’s important to stay true to your beliefs.

In case you missed it, last month we heard David’s insights into growing an IT business. Hear what he has to say in this short video

Are you looking to grow your business?

Sustainable Direction Ltd was the first business to access finance through Funding Circle in 2010, when they borrowed £12,000 to help demonstrate the viability of an outdoor air source heat pump. They wanted to hire 2 new members of staff so took out a second loan in December 2016. Apply for a small business loan and start growing your business today.