A Development Consultant?

by: Jim C Hamil, Managing Principal

My friends who know me well and colleagues from non-profits/educational institutions where I have previously held positions all do a double take when I tell them I'm a development consultant. Many have heard my soapbox rant about how ineffective consultants are in the development world. I've seen it with every organization I've worked in: A firm convinces us we need them and then we end up paying them for a lot of paper and reports that are virtually useless. I would joke that consultants are those who couldn't make it in the real development world.

Here's the paradigm shift I explain to my friends and former colleagues. I didn't plan to enter the consulting field. Several organizations approached me for help and I gave them some advice. They then followed up wanting more help, I rolled my sleeves up and helped them. Then it occurred to me that there is a need for consultants, there simply aren't consultants who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. At the encouragement of several in the industry we formed The Corley-Hamil Group to be a different type of consultant firm... one who works as hard as the client, therefore making us partners in exceeding the goal.