Happy Fifth Anniversary Rogue Tulips Consulting!
This is a year of milestones for me professionally as I noted in a message earlier this year (“Musings on Milestones”). On September 18, 2018, I filed the incorporation papers to form Rogue Tulips LLC. The public name for marketing has evolved over the years from Rogue Tulips LLC to Rogue Tulips Nonprofit Consulting & Association Management Services, to our much shorter and easier to say name Rogue Tulips Consulting.
Initially, I had the idea to create a consortium of solopreneur consultants to create a network/community for those who generally work alone. The goal was to band together to be competitive on bigger projects. We tried it for a while, but it’s hard to run your own company and manage a consortium where everyone needs to prioritize their own company (rightly so I might add).
The Consortium evolved over time as I made decisions about who should be in and how we could try to get projects. After submitting 19 proposals and not getting one of them, I realized the world was not ready for a Rogue Consortium. The Consortium dissolved and, in its place, I created a curated network of Expert Partners that bring different experiences and knowledge to the mix. This gives us a deeper bench without the stress, plus, we get some more marketing by cross-promoting each other on our websites.
As always happens with a new company, things started out slowly but momentum was building. Clients were noticing that I had moved into a new solo consulting practice and they were asking about services. I had a retainer agreement with a larger consulting company that was going well, and things were looking good. But then, as happened to so many of us, the Pandemic Lockdown of 2020 hit and pending contracts were not signed, retainer agreements were cancelled, and new business froze.
It took a while for things to start to pick up again but it did. Now I am seeing the cyclical highs and lows of a business that works with clients on projects that happen every 3 to 5 years. Of course, I prefer the highs but the lows are just part of the deal.
When EIDL loans were available, I took out a small one and I have already paid it off. I didn’t want to get it but my husband encouraged me since the funds were available. That allowed me to contract Fern Carbonell who handles all of our back end, provides good advice, and helps with marketing. Best use of funding is to be able to hire a long-time friend and colleague because you know they will deliver.
Part of the loan money was used to subscribe to some services like Social Pilot to help manage communication more effectively and efficiently. It also helped with subscriptions to online video production tools and a cool podcast microphone. Speaking of the podcast, the evolution of that offering has been some of the greatest learning, skills polishing, and fun that I’ve had in my entire career.
My services and knowledge have evolved, grown, and changed in just five years. My focus has sharpened and I continue to explore new areas. But my commitment to the solid foundational values on which this company is built has not and will not change. Rogue Tulips supports radical inclusion, transparency, personalized customer interactions and support, and helping nonprofit organizations think outside the box. Like Frank Sinatra sang, “I did it my way” and I will continue to put clients first, advocate for our profession, and be the person who speaks up when something needs to be said.
Happy Fifth Anniversary Rogue Tulips Consulting!
