Consultants are independent business people who have a special knowledge in a particular field. And they usually have some specialized credentials to back up their expertise. Illustrators, patent attorneys, and machinists are examples of the consultants that inventors hire to help them accomplish their goals. The main advantage of using consultants is that they are only called in when you need them.
Be careful when hiring a consultant to help you with an invention-related project. Many people advertise themselves as invention consultantsΓÇöand aren't! Go to the RESOURCES screen button on the main control panel to view data on several reliable businesses that can act as consultants to almost every phase of your entrepreneurial inventing projects.
You are better off finding a consultant who has skills and contacts specific to your project. Two excellent methods for finding specialized consultants are The Encyclopedia of Associations (EofA) and The Yearbook of Experts, Authorities and Spokespeople (YEAS). The EofA lists all major and minor associations in the U.S., and there is a foreign edition also. Every association is a focal point for many expects in that specific field. Many of these people do consulting work full time or as a sideline. YEAS is a very large selection of paid advertisements from people and companies that are expert in a variety of fields. Although the main purpose of the publication is to make these people available to the media, I have found it to be a super resource for finding experts who can help with a projects development. Click on the buttons at left to go to the resource segments on these two valuable information sources.
Consultants typically charge a per-hour fee or by the job. Do not offer a consultant any equity as a trade for services, unless that consultant's services will be used extensively throughout the entire development of the invention project, and beyond! Most consultants are happy to talk about what they can do, without charging a fee, until you ask them to perform some sort of work. If you are skillful at conversation, you may be able to get useful information from some consultants without paying any money. But inventors typically hire consultants to give expert advice on a project's development or to add credibility to a piece of presentation material.
Through your work as an inventor, you will amass a great deal of information and experience in the fields of your invention. As a result, you may become a consultant, and develop a lucrative business serving companies in your specialty field.
