1. Habits of High-Impact Business Consultants Leticia Landa - Deputy Director - La Cocina

2. La Cocina enables low income entrepreneurs to gain financial security and establish viable food-oriented businesses MISSION To cultivate low income food entrepreneurs as they formalize and grow their businesses by providing affordable commercial kitchen space, industry-specific technical assistance and access to market opportunities. VISION That entrepreneurs gain financial security by doing what they love to do, creating an innovative, vibrant and inclusive economic landscape.

3. What does it take? Source: OED empathy empəTHē noun The ability to understand and share the feelings of another Early 20th century: from Greek empatheia (from em- ‘in’ + pathos ‘feeling’) translating German Einfühlung

4. More practically speaking COMMITTED COMMUNICATIVE CAPABLE/COMPETENT/CURRENT CONFIDENT Source: Marc Shore DocStoc Friday Feb 24, 2012

5. Be Committed GAIN TRUST Make sure your client knows you have their best interest in mind and are committed to their success. Show them that you care for the right reasons. CLIENT COMES FIRST Remember who the star is (hint, it’s not you.) The success of this project rests on the business and the entrepreneur, you need to be committed to making sure they will succeed.

6. Be Communicative LISTEN The first step to effective communication is always to absorb as much information as possible. SIMPLIFY What seems easy to you may not be easy for them. Show don’t tell. Focus on visual explanations and real-world examples. EXPLAIN & PROVIDE MORE THAN ONE OPTION What seems easy to you may not be easy for them. Be patient. and if one line of reasoning doesn’t work, try a different one. Show examples.

7. Be Capable/Competent/Current KNOW YOUR SHIT The entrepreneur probably knows more than you do. They do this every day. So be prepared. Research. Ask questions. Find real examples. KNOW WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW Don’t make things up. If you don’t know, say so and then go find out. Follow up. THINGS CHANGE That research you did on that permit for that business last year probably doesn’t exist any more. Don’t assume.

8. BELIEVE IN YOURSELF If you are committed to the success of the business, have done your research and can communicate all of these things effectively, chances are, you’re a good consultant. Own it. BUT NOT TOO CONFIDENT You can always get better. Be Confident

9. Case Study – El Huarache Loco

10. LETICIA LANDA leticia@lacocinasf.org Questions