FORTUNE Small Business:

Geeks, Inc.

FSB advises a techie on how to start an IT-based services consulting firm.

By Les Rubenovitch
President, Mage Canada

(FSB Online) -- Dear FSB: I am an IT geek who is planning to start a small, IT-based services consulting firm. I would ultimately like to provide service-driven consulting services to companies that use enterprise-level systems out of an office in Toronto. Can you offer any advice on getting started?

- S. Munir H. Hatmi, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

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Dear Munir: Given your expertise, you seem to be very well-positioned to tap into a rapidly expanding market. One important step that will help you focus your business is to determine which clients you will target. Do you plan to help in product selection, deployment planning, implementation, customization, or support? The clearer your focus, the easier it will be to convey it in your marketing materials and for potential clients to understand why they should hire you.

We are starting to see many new hosted solutions, which allow clients to rent access to software, rather than purchase the right to use the software forever. Give careful thought to the changing needs of these users and you are likely to come up with some innovative services.  Top of page

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Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices © S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates.