If you’re a small or mid-sized business owner, you’ve likely asked yourself this before hiring a consultant:
“Do they truly understand how my business operates — or are they just selling me a framework or technology?”
It’s a fair question.
And one we see validated far too often.
The Core Problem: Advice That Looks Right but Doesn’t Work
Many SMEs come to us after engaging consultants who were:
- Technically capable, but disconnected from day-to-day operations
- Armed with polished frameworks, but light on real-world execution
- Fluent in enterprise terminology, but out of sync with SME realities
- Focused on tools and platforms instead of measurable business outcomes
The result is predictable:
Recommendations that look impressive in presentations — but fail under the pressure of real operations.
SMEs Are Not “Small Enterprises” — They Are Different Businesses
Small and mid-sized businesses operate under constraints that traditional consulting models often overlook:
- Limited leadership time and attention
- Lean teams managing multiple roles
- Budget decisions with personal and operational risk
- Legacy processes held together by workarounds
- Growth pressure without enterprise-level infrastructure
When these realities are ignored, even strong strategies struggle to deliver results.
Understanding a Business Goes Beyond Asking the Right Questions
True business understanding shows up in an advisor’s ability to:
- Clearly articulate your challenges before you fully explain them
- Translate strategy into practical, executable actions
- Balance long-term ambition with what’s achievable right now
- Design solutions that support your team — not overwhelm it
If a consultant can’t describe your situation in a way that makes you think,
“Yes — that’s exactly what we’re dealing with,”
they’re not ready to advise your business.
Why One-Size-Fits-All Consulting Frameworks Fail SMEs
Frameworks themselves aren’t the problem.
Misapplied frameworks are.
When consultants force your business into a predefined model:
- Unique operational constraints are ignored
- Industry nuance is flattened
- Teams become overwhelmed
- Execution slows or fails altogether
Effective consulting adapts frameworks to the business.
Ineffective consulting adapts the business to the framework.
What SMEs Should Expect From a Consulting Partner
Our clients aren’t looking for theory.
They’re looking for clarity, confidence, and outcomes.
That means expecting:
- Deep understanding of their business model — not just systems
- Recommendations grounded in real SME operating experience
- A focus on measurable business impact, not vanity metrics
- Solutions that evolve as the business grows
Technology is a tool.
Strategy is a means.
Business outcomes are always the objective.
If You’re Asking This Question, You’re Thinking Like a Leader
Questioning whether an advisor truly understands your business isn’t skepticism — it’s good leadership.
The right partner won’t just answer your questions.
They’ll help you ask better ones — and turn those answers into meaningful progress.
Because when someone can name your challenges precisely,
you can be confident they know how to solve them.
—
Jules Batson, Msc, MCPM, PMP, CSM
Contact: LinkedIn