FailingCompany - Back to the Basics

We've gone pretty deep into the topic of becoming an AI consultant over the past several weeks. We've taken a look at a roadmap to become a consultant in about six months, examined tools & technologies to streamline some of your work and discussed the need to ensure that your AI solutions are free from hallucinations and other errors. We're going to shift gears away from the technology and tools today and cover another important topic related to becoming a new AI consultant. It's one that I purposely waited for a bit to cover because I didn't want to unintentionally discourage anyone from pursuing AI consulting as a new career choice.

We all know that some people are just naturally better positioned to succeed in certain careers than others. This is particularly evident in professional sports. For example, those that thrive in the NFL are generally taller, bigger built and most also have a natural athletic ability. Those that don't have to work much harder to achieve success. Certainly not impossible, but more difficult.

The same goes for AI consulting. People with certain personality types and character traits will be naturally more adept at the consulting game. If you don't have the right personality type or character traits, you can certainly still succeed. You'll just have to work harder. Like every other career, It’s not for everyone. However, for the right person, it can be highly rewarding. Do you see now why I didn't cover this topic first?

Enough setup, so let's dig into this topic and break down the key qualities, personality types, and traits that can be very helpful for someone looking to succeed as a new AI consultant. We'll also look at what a typical day as a consultant might look like. Remember, if this doesn't resonate with you it doesn't mean that you can't be successful as an AI consultant. You may just have to work a little harder at it!

Personality Types That Thrive in AI Consulting

1. Problem-Solver
   Successful AI consultants are natural problem-solvers. They enjoy tackling complex challenges and developing innovative and practical solutions to those challenges. AI consulting often involves starting with ambiguous problems like, "How can we improve our customer experience?"and defining clear, actionable paths forward. For example, An AI consultant might help a retail business predict which products will trend in the next season based on historical sales data and external factors like social media trends.


2. Visionary and Strategist
   AI consultants often work with businesses at the cusp of transformation. They need to see the big picture and identify how AI fits into a company’s long-term strategy. This requires the ability to forecast trends and think several steps ahead. They live for the art of the possible.


3. Adaptable Learner
   AI is a fast-paced field with constant technological advancements. Change is the only constant. Those who thrive in AI consulting love learning new tools, techniques, and frameworks, and they adapt quickly to change. These people will stay up late into the night learning about a new technology because they truly love it.


4. Communicator and Collaborator
   AI consulting requires strong interpersonal skills. A consultant must bridge the gap between highly technical teams and business stakeholders, translating AI concepts into language the client can understand. Consultants must also thrive in teamwork, often collaborating with diverse groups of people.


5. Independent Self-Starter
   Consulting often involves working independently to deliver results. This requires intrinsic motivation, excellent time management, and the ability to work with minimal supervision.

What are Some Character Traits of Successful AI Consultants?

1. Empathy
   Great AI consultants are deeply empathetic, understanding not just their clients' business needs but also the concerns of employees who may feel threatened by AI. They leverage this empathy to build trust and ensure a smoother adoption of AI solutions.


2. Resilience
   Consulting can be a tough, competitive field with demanding clients and tight deadlines. Resilience helps you bounce back from setbacks and stay motivated despite challenges. For example, a client might reject a carefully developed AI recommendation that required a substantial time investment to create. A resilient consultant uses the feedback to refine their approach and get better rather than becoming discouraged.


3. Curiosity
   AI consultants need an insatiable curiosity about how things work, both in terms of AI technology and the client’s industry. This trait helps them ask the right questions and uncover opportunities for improvement that the client could never see themself.


4. Integrity
   Businesses place a lot of trust in consultants to provide honest and accurate advice. Putting the client's long-term needs ahead of your short-term desire for profit is a must for building integrity. This reputation for integrity ensures long-term success, as satisfied clients will often refer others.


5. Discipline
   Consulting often requires managing multiple clients, projects, and deliverables simultaneously. There is nobody around to tell you what to do or how to do it. Staying organized and disciplined is critical to avoid dropping the ball.

What It Takes to Survive in the Competitive World of AI Consulting
Having the right personality and character traits will take you a long way down your path to success. However, consulting is a hyper-competitive field. It takes a lot to survive long-term. Here are a few things that will be required for your success:

1. Deep Expertise
   To stand out in a competitive field, you need expertise in at least one or two niches, such as natural language processing (NLP), computer vision, predictive analytics, or machine learning operations (MLOps). This expertise builds credibility and sets you apart from generalists.


2. Business Acumen
   AI consulting is not just about building models or deploying tools; it’s about solving real business problems. Understanding business strategy, ROI calculations, and industry-specific challenges is crucial. Always remember that AI is simply a tool to capitalize on some opportunity or solve a real business problem.


3. Networking Skills
   Success often depends on your ability to network and build relationships. A strong professional network can provide referrals, partnerships, and insights into industry trends. This one can be difficult for those introverts who really love the tech side of AI consulting but tend to shy away from the soft skills.


4. Effective Marketing
   In addition to networking, an AI consultant must know how to market their skills and services effectively. This includes maintaining an up-to-date LinkedIn profile, publishing thought leadership content, and speaking at industry events. This can become tedious work and may even push someone out of their comfort zone, but it's absolutely critical. A potential client can't choose you as their AI consultant if they don't even know you exist.


5. Continuous Learning
   The competitive edge in AI consulting often lies in staying ahead of the curve. Consultants must invest time in learning emerging technologies, certifications, and industry best practices. More often than not, the AI consultant is up reading and learning well past when the typical 9-to-5 employee has gone to bed.


6. Results Orientation
   Ultimately, businesses hire consultants to deliver measurable results. Success in this field depends on consistently delivering value—whether through increased revenue, reduced costs, or enhanced customer satisfaction.

So, What Might a Typical Day Look Like?

While no two days are alike, here’s an example of what a day in the life of an AI consultant might look like:

Morning: Strategic Planning and Client Meetings

• 8:00 AM: Review emails and project updates. Check on the status of an AI model you’re piloting for a client.


• 9:00 AM: Kick off the day with a virtual meeting with a retail client. Discuss their current pain points in inventory management and align on the objectives for the AI-based demand forecasting tool you’re building.


• 10:00 AM: Work on a proposal for a new client in the healthcare industry. The proposal outlines how AI can streamline their patient appointment scheduling using predictive algorithms.

Midday: Technical and Creative Work

• 12:00 PM: Lunch break—likely working while eating if a deadline looms.


• 1:00 PM: Dive into the technical work. This might involve cleaning a dataset for a logistics client to ensure accuracy before feeding it into a machine-learning algorithm. Alternatively, it might include creating a presentation to explain the business implications of an AI model to a non-technical audience.


• 2:30 PM: Collaborate with a data science team. Review their findings on a customer segmentation analysis and discuss how to refine the model for better predictive accuracy.

Afternoon: Client Communication and Business Development

• 3:30 PM: Call with an e-commerce client. Present findings on how implementing a recommendation engine increased their average order value by 20%.


• 4:30 PM: Spend time on business development. Reach out to a potential client via LinkedIn, sharing an article you recently wrote on using AI to improve supply chain efficiency.


• 5:00 PM: Prepare for an upcoming workshop where you’ll teach small business owners how to identify areas for AI implementation.

Evening: Learning and Reflection

• 6:30 PM: Wrap up client work and focus on professional development. Read articles or take an online course on the latest advancements in AI frameworks or tools like PyTorch. Reflect on the day and jot down lessons learned to improve future engagements.

As you can see, it's not an easy schedule. Your days will be full and time will be precious. It's not for the clock watchers who want to work exactly 9-to-5. That being said, it's incredibly rewarding knowing that your time investment will help to transform your client's business, which has a very real and positive impact on the lives of others.

Is AI Consulting Right for You?

Ultimately, it's a personal choice that only you can make. If you are intellectually curious, enjoy working with people, and thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment, then you may love consulting. It’s a career that demands technical proficiency, but also strong interpersonal and business skills. If you’re passionate about helping businesses transform through AI, and you possess the traits and mindset described above, this could be the perfect path for you!

As with any career decision, take some time to reflect on whether these qualities align with your personality and career aspirations. AI consulting is a rewarding field, but it’s not without its challenges. With the right preparation, mindset, and continuous effort, you can build a successful and impactful career.

Think you have what it takes and want some help building a virtual team to deliver amazing projects? Maybe you're on the fence now and would like a little extra advice? Check out FailingCompany.com to find the help that you need. Go sign up for an account or log in to your existing account and start working with someone today.

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