The Society of Professional Consultants

The Society of Professional Consultants (SPC) is a professional development organization for independent consultants, solo professionals, and entrepreneurs. We offer networking, mentoring, and education for our members. The SPC facilitates virtual networking and workshops for both new and experienced consultants from around the world. Our membership is limited to solo consultants and business owners.

We encourage our members to collaborate, share best practices, and learn from each other. The SPC is not a referral network and we don't require our members to refer business to each other.

The SPC welcomes and encourages participation in our community by consultants of all ages, backgrounds, and identities. We are committed to promoting and sustaining a culture that values mutual respect, tolerance, and learning. Our standards of conduct page has more information about our policies and member responsibilities.

Panel Discussion: If I Knew That Could Go Wrong, I Would Have . . .

Tuesday, October 22, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. EDT

When you start a solo business, you become the director of sales, marketing, finance, contracts, project management, IT, and PR. What could possibly go wrong?  Many of us learn about running a consulting business the hard way – by making mistakes. Have you ever said, “if I only knew then what I know now?”

On Tuesday, October 22nd, our panelists will be sharing mistakes they’ve made, and what they would do differently now. You’ll learn how they survived their missteps, and they’ll advise you how to avoid making the same mistakes they did.

Our panelists will discuss:

We'll also have time for small breakout discussions where you can share your experiences and challenges with your colleagues. You’ll be able to help a fellow consultant avoid a costly mistake, and discover how to evade the pitfalls they’ve encountered. 

Don’t make the mistake of missing this panel. Register now!

There's no charge for this workshop.

About Our Panelists:

Gina Abudi has created and owns the IP to over 60 workshops focused on critical skills development, management, and leadership training. 

On the consulting side of her business, Gina works collaboratively with organizational leaders, equipping them with the tools to connect with and engage their employees during times of change. More than change management, Gina’s approach creates an environment where change becomes an opportunity, not a challenge, and where organizational transformation is born.

Gina is lead author of Best Practices for Managing BPI Projects: Six Steps to Success (J Ross Publishing, 2015) and author of Implementing Positive Organizational Change: A Strategic Project Management Approach (J Ross Publishing, 2017.) She is working on her 4th book, her second on the topic of change management, with a focus of developing a mindset of continuous change to drive bottom line results.

Diane Darling is a consultant, keynote speaker, instructor, and leadership coach with over 20 years of experience in researching, developing, and educating on the role of professional networking strategies in individual career development and business performance.

Considered a trailblazer in the field of social networking, she was commissioned by McGraw-Hill to pen the authoritative book on networking in 2003, titled The Networking Survival Guide - a feat accomplished prior to the advent of social media giants such as Facebook or LinkedIn. The book proved to be immensely popular, with a second printing ordered within just 90 days of its release. Her works have collectively been translated into nine different languages, attesting to their global impact and appeal.

Today, she remains deeply passionate about writing and channels this passion through her newsletter, The Net Effect.

Bob LaBrie is a professional speaker, trainer, coach, and business consultant with a demonstrated history of working in the sales training & coaching industry. Bob has presented over 850 seminars and worked with individuals representing over 400 companies in 150 career fields over the last 36 years.

His unique training methodology combines traditional training methods with the dynamic concepts and principles of Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP). The result is cutting-edge training techniques for individuals and companies.

Bob is a member of the Association for Consulting Expertise, the Greater Portland Chambers of Commerce, and the National Federation of Neuro-Linguistic Psychology.

Liz Steblay is the founder of two thriving businesses and a mentor for solopreneur success.  After stumbling into self-employment in 2004, she quickly realized the benefits: more money, less stress, a lower tax rate, and more quality time with her kid. In 2009 she founded the ProKo Agency which connects world-class independent consultants with Fortune 500 clients.

After growing ProKo into a multi-million-dollar business and being recognized as a self-employment expert, in 2018 Liz created the Professional Independent Consultants of America (“PICA”), a national educational organization and community that helps others launch and grow their own businesses.

She’s the author of the new book, “Succeeding as a Solopreneur: Six Keys to Taking the Leap, Winning Clients and Building Wealth”, the long-running blog “Successful Independent Consulting”, as well as articles on Inc.com.