Forgive me father, for I have sinned. It has been 12 days since my last post. It’s been a busy 12 days indeed. I’ve been trying to get more organized as we grow Friuch Consulting into the number one management consulting firm in BC by 2020. We’ve got a long road ahead of us but we’re looking forward to the journey. Here’s what we’ve done in the past 21 days:

1. New Associates – Found
   

   Back in early May, we started the search for new associates [READ]. We had informal meetings with quite a few people and we’ve landed on someone who is going to be an integral part of the firm going forward. We’ll make a formal announcement in the next month as this talented individual ramps up full-time with us. We’ve also identified at least three other individuals who will be working with us on projects going forward. Again, we’ll make a formal announcement next month about these individuals and what skills they will bring to the firm in the coming month.

2. Incorporation – Mostly Complete
   

   Our incorporation paperwork was finally completed on June 18 and our Chart of Accounts has been set up with our talented bookkeeper – Sandi McGill. Sandi was a big help in walking us through the process of incorporation – I recommend working with your bookkeeper or accountant when you’re setting up your incorporation paperwork. There are considerations that a good bookkeeper can advise you through. We still need to get our new bank account set up but as of June 18, we are operating as an incorporated firm – six and a half years after Friuch was founded as a sole proprietorship. This has been an interesting transition for us and while it doesn’t really impact our approach to the work, it changes how we see ourselves. I guess we feel more “grown up” now.

3. New Office – Just Starting
   

   We have determined that for the next 18 months, we need an office space that can accommodate our growing operation. We’ve retained the services of Baljit Siekham from Alchemy Organizing to help us find and move into our new space. She’s got a lot of experience helping organizations of all sizes move into new space, furnish it and make the most of the space. We’re looking for space in South Vancouver, North Richmond and South Burnaby.

4. Project Management Software – Found
   

   As we grow, we need to kick our project management up a notch – more systematic and more organized. To accomplish that, we’re bolstering our Google Apps back end with Basecamp HQ. We’ve only been using the system for a few weeks but it’s great. Allows us to assign discreet project tasks to the team more clearly and lets us open up the project to our clients. Our clients and the team seem to be picking up on Basecamp really quickly. We’re looking forward to exploring this tool in more depth and will write a full review of the service soon.

5. Mission and Values – Work in Progress
   

   When we set out to build this firm, I set out a goal to build the #1 management consulting firm in BC by 2020. I got challenged on this simple statement by a friend. He posed some questions and I have some answers:

   Why do you want to be the #1 management consulting firm in BC?
   

   It’s all about people and helping people to be extraordinary. Together, we’re smarter and more innovative than we are as individuals. As we grow into the #1 management consulting firm in BC, we’ll be a powerful force for good in this community. The better our market position is, the more flexibility we will have to give back to the community and to be agents of goodwill and great work.

   What makes you different?
   

   We want to help people build. We don’t just advise. We get our hands dirty. We’ll work alongside our clients to explore opportunities and build something extraordinary. We’ll work as hard as they do and take ownership of implementation.

   What are your values?
   

   We do not align ourselves to any political parties, religious organizations or “schools” of thought. We approach every opportunity with an open mind and no pre-conceived notions. Every project and client is important – no matter what the scope and scale of the work. Every client gets our best work.

   We believe that there’s no such thing as problems – just opportunities we can help our clients exploit. There is always room to innovate and come up with something extraordinary. Our goal is to exceed the expectations of every client.