Claire Caesar Consulting

www.clairecaesarconsulting.com

1. Tell us about your business

Claire Caesar Consulting provides strategic assistance to government and non-government organisations working in the health sector. CCC provides business development, strategic and business planning, policy and project development, implementation, management and review services. CCC also specialises in quality improvement techniques and Team Management Systems team analysis and development services.

2. When and why did you start your business?

I began Claire Caesar Consulting in 2005 after spending 15 years in the public service as a policy specialist. Working with consultants over that time, I came to realise that there was a market need for a consultancy firm that understood how the public sector does business. My feeling was that I could assist organisations wishing to business with government by interpreting their excellent work into the kind of brief, policy related language the government or bureaucrats needed to work in, and that I could assist government agencies make themselves more accessible and understandable to their stakeholders and business partners.

3. On a personal level, what have you achieved with of your business?

I set a number of goals when I established my consultancy: lifestyle goals about how many days a week I wanted to work, what kind of stress I wanted to handle, and what amount of time I wanted to spend with my family; obviously an income goal; and some personal goals about feeling that I was doing good, acting with integrity, being organised and working in a systematised way. I also made some goals about growing my own food and personal fitness. I have achieved and/or surpassed all my goals, and continue to review and refine them on a regular basis.

4. What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in growing your business?

Learning to trust my judgement; learning to be OK with down-time, and trust that the phone will ring and new work will come in. And learning how to use sub-contractors, especially through Virtual Assistants and E-Lance.

5. What activities have been successful in promoting your business?

Word of mouth and networking have so far been the most successful, and indeed the only way I have promoted my business.

6. What activities were less successful for marketing your business?

I've never had a hit from my website that turned into an enquiry. And tenders are an awful way to try to get business.

7. Name your favourite thing about your business

It's mine!

8. Who or what other businesses or business people inspire you?

I'm inspired by the people who confidently run their own businesses. I'm also inspired by the highly successful business people like Gail Kelly and Rick Allert, who demand high standards of themselves and other, who stand up for what they believe is right, and stare down the opposition - no matter how large they are or how dirty they play.

9. What are your plans for the future of your business?

I'm developing a bit of diversity in the business. Moving to value-added business planning for the government sector, as well as the policy consultancy. I also want to develop the idea of virtual teams who can do a crack project on a short-term basis.

10. Share your best business tip with our readers.

Use your networks, and ask their advice. Be enthusiastic. Plan, plan, plan. Then over-deliver. Believe in yourself.

Visit us at: www.clairecaesarconsulting.com