The Consulting Process: First Client Meetings to Real Deliverables | Week 3

What does a real consulting engagement look like? Learn how to move from a first client meeting to a consulting agreement, a clear business model, and practical deliverables that a business can actually use. In this live Build Up Cohort 2 entrepreneur orientation, Dr. Claude Kershner introduces the consulting phase and the partnership between entrepreneurs and consulting teams. This Week 3 session connects classroom preparation with real business needs, professional communication, and implementation. We cover: Preparing for the first client meeting and building trust Clarifying responsibilities through a consulting agreement Understanding the business model before recommending solutions Selecting two meaningful, implemented deliverables per entrepreneur Setting expectations for meetings, information sharing, and follow-up Handing over usable work and demonstrating its value The second half includes live questions about scheduling, scope, language preferences, technology, and working together. This is a practical orientation for entrepreneurs and new consultants, not just a lecture about writing reports. CHAPTERS 0:00 Welcome to the consulting phase 1:40 The Build Up journey: boot camp, mentoring, consulting 3:16 Meet a student consultant 9:55 Matching teams with business needs 11:30 Identifying priorities together 13:25 Why this work matters 14:10 Teams, clients, and deliverable expectations 15:07 A two-way commitment 16:19 Outreach and scheduling the first meeting 17:54 What to discuss in the first meeting 18:35 The consulting agreement 19:03 Understanding the business model 20:02 Working with entrepreneurs, not just for them 20:45 What an implemented deliverable looks like 21:47 Using the 80 Steps as a resource 22:46 Handover and final presentations 24:04 Building trust 24:44 Build Up and UPBI 25:23 Live Q&A: meeting expectations 27:24 Another consultant's perspective 29:28 Timeline and communication support 31:18 Choosing a useful project scope 33:20 Language preferences 34:50 Scheduling conflicts 36:22 The capstone experience 37:15 Deliverable depth and the ten-week scope 39:04 Technology, discovery, and business systems 44:11 Productive working meetings 44:37 Meeting in person 46:15 Next steps and closing Recorded September 16, 2026. Dates and scheduling details discussed apply to the Fall 2026 Build Up cohort. The consulting principles apply more broadly. WATCH NEXT The Consulting Experience playlist:    • The Consulting Experience   Week 1, Introduction to Consulting:    • Introduction to Consulting: How to Work Wi...   Week 2, Business Models and First Client Meetings:    • Business Models Explained for New Consulta...   Subscribe to The Dr. Claude Kershner Show to follow the journey from first meetings to implemented work. #Consulting #Entrepreneurship #BusinessConsulting