the move to specialist consultancies

We have seen many consultancies shed staff over the last few years.  We have also seen the emergence of many “one-man-band” consultancies either through the desire of individuals to be their own boss, or because forced redundancy has driven them to strike out on their own.

In the midst of this turmoil we have also seen many specialist single-sector consultancies continue to thrive.

As a specialist healthcare & life sciences consultancy, we intend to remain in the last category!

However, consultancies such as ours face a challenge.  How can they employ a sufficiently high number of staff to cover all aspects of research, development, commercialisation and finance, across a broad range of technologies and therapies, for biotech, pharmaceutical, diagnostic, medical technology and healthcare services companies?

The answer, of course, is that they cannot.

Most consultancies get around this problem by making do with what they have.  In other words, projects will be staffed with the individuals who happen to be employed by the consultancy at the time.  When times are good the consultancy can afford to employ a broad range of staff, when times are bad they cannot.  This obviously compromises the quality of work that can be delivered to the client. 

One solution is to operate a hybrid business model, by employing a small number of “broadly skilled” individuals, whilst at the same time building an extensive network of niche specialists who remain either self employed, or employed in a separate niche consultancy.

If you are interested in becoming part of our business model, either as an employee, an associate or through an alliance, please contact us.