Advisors and consultants are in the networking business. No single consultant holds the solution to every business problem.
If you’re the advisor, you should know what you do well — and when you don’t have the right expertise, your job is to introduce your client to someone who does.
Addressing the unknown unknowns. If you’re advising, whatever problem an owner brings to the table is almost never the real one. “I need more sales” is rarely about sales; it’s about the unseen root cause. By the time a client comes to you, they’ve already fixed the obvious problems.
If you’re the owner, know that your consultant’s first read is probably wrong too. Consultants love a clean early hypothesis — satisfying but usually built on too little information. Be wary of anyone who prescribes in the first meeting. Real expertise sounds like good questions, not fast answers.
Treatment follows diagnosis. Think of a doctor and an X-ray. The patient’s description of the pain leads to a diagnostic hunch. The X-ray confirms the hunch and identifies the treatment.
As the advisor, ask what’s already been tried and why it didn’t work. The answer often reveals the real problem faster than any framework — and points to the resources needed. Prescribing before diagnosing is how well-intentioned advice solves the wrong problem. Spend more time understanding the problem than recommending the solution. “I need more sales” might actually need a pricing fix, a hiring decision, or a hard conversation about who the real customer is.
Prioritize the next step. Once you’re clear on the real problem, the challenge isn’t a lack of resources — it’s knowing which one matters most right now. Most owners are overwhelmed by options competing for the same hours. As the advisor, help them see which one unblocks everything else.
If you’re the owner, bring everything on your plate to the conversation, not just what you assumed you needed help with. As the advisor, ask: “If you could only do one thing in the next 30 days, which would make the others easier or unnecessary?” That’s your treatment plan — the X-ray told you where to look; this tells you where to start.
Match businesses with the right resource at the right time. Judge your advisor not just by what they know, but by who they know. Sometimes it’s a timely introduction that helps a business move forward. This is where diagnosis and prioritization turn into action. Sometimes the most valuable thing you can offer isn’t your expertise — it’s someone else’s.
Rules of thumb
A bigger network beats a tidy one. It’s tempting to keep a short list of go-to resources. Resist that — a narrow network means reaching for the wrong person because they’re the only one on hand. The match isn’t just subject matter — it’s chemistry. Two people can be right for the job and still be wrong for each other. Think matchmaker, not directory lookup.
Expertise gets you in the room, but working style and trust determine whether the relationship produces anything. An introduction isn’t a handoff. If the match doesn’t work, notice it and try again — don’t let the business quietly live with it. Most advisors in your network want to be asked. A referral isn’t an imposition. Most relish being brought in on a business they believe in.
Turn advice into action. Never end a conversation on an insight — end it on the next action with a name attached. If you’re the owner, don’t let a good conversation end without one either.
Progress happens when a business is connected to people who help it execute. That takes networks and accountability, not just clarity. A recommendation that dies in someone’s notebook is no recommendation at all. Before introducing anyone, ask yourself: “Do they have the right expertise?” and “Will they work well with this client?” Then follow up.
The common thread. Each step depends on the one before it. Diagnosis without prioritization overwhelms the business. Prioritization without connection leaves it stuck. Connection without follow-through is just a business card exchange.
You won’t create the most value by having the most answers. You’ll create it by suspecting your answer isn’t the right one — and having a network to get the business to the one that is. Expect the network.
