What have I learned in 20 yrs of running a consulting firm?

I tapped Acorn International into existence 20 years ago with a barrage of hopeful messages to clients, partners and family. Left behind were a VP position at a global institute, still-cherished colleagues and job security! Waiting for me was an adventure whose path I’d planned for but not fully imagined.

What have I learned along the way?

1. Stay focused – Despite our growth over the years, I’ve come to feel secure and proud that our team has stayed very, very good at the niche services we’ve chosen to provide.
2. Stay humble – I think some of that security and pride comes from the discipline of not over-selling and honestly appreciating the capabilities of our competitors.
3. Don’t sell yourself short – As consultants we often try to keep costs as low as possible for our clients, only to rob them and ourselves of the full assurance and creative solutions their challenges
4. Don’t take yourself too seriously – Embrace the opportunities to learn and laugh with others!
5. Take care of others but take care of yourself too – Caring about and for the exceptional colleagues who have chosen to work with Acorn International has been a blessing – at the same time I’m learning that caring for myself is a pre-requisite of caring for
6. Find the joy and energy – Even the fascinating work that we do can become tedious sometimes – but finding and celebrating those little aspects that bring us a spark have come to feel essential.
7. Shoot for making impact before profit – We aim to “help good companies be good neighbors” by generating exceptional shared value for our clients and their host communities, having learned that doing this exceptionally well will yield a healthy, growing business.

Over the years, our clients have entrusted us to help them with exceptional challenges, like:

• Forming durable community partnership agreements with former opponents
• Uncovering and remedying high-profile human rights risks in their supply chains
• Creating living conditions that sustain workforces in rural communities critical to client operations
• Mediating disputes blocking financing for responsible operations needed to lead a just transition.

We’re truly honored to have been called on for such impactful engagements, and we’re committed to making our work on these engagements make a difference for our clients, their host communities and our amazing team.

Founding, building and now celebrating this outstanding, niche consulting firm has taken a lot of persistence, learning and adjustment – and the work never ends. But the lessons above tell the story of a journey filled with principle, joy and excitement for what we’ve achieved, and what is to come.

Onward!