Economic factors have some packaging professionals looking to extend their careers and delay retirement. Some are taking their expertise and experience and venturing into their own consultancies.
“Why should anyone retire if they are healthy and happy with their profession? Of course we realize that with company mergers, retirement packages, incentives, and the like, ‘seasoned veterans’ will leave their current corporate positions. The opportunity to continue to share their knowledge and experience exists with opportunities such as new full-time positions with small companies such as start-ups that need specific skills to be utilized immediately, [as well as] consulting, teaching, and participation in pharmaceutical industry conferences,” said Ed Smith, Packaging Science Resources, LLC, in a recent Healthcare Packaging article.
But even with considerable packaging experience, a professional feel uncertain about branching off on her or his own. Enter, “BUSINESS OURS—Starting Out and Building Your Own Business,” a new book co-authored by Herb Meyers and Richard Gerstman, managing partners of Gerstman+Meyers (now part of Interbrand).
Aimed at entrepreneurs who are thinking about opening their own consulting office, the book is based on the authors’ experiences of leading and growing Gerstman+Meyers from a small group to an eminent international design consultancy. The book suggests guidelines by describing how the two succeeded in the following areas:
• launching a business and making it succeed
• maintaining a strong business philosophy
• providing strong leadership
• gaining client confidence
• nurturing longtime client relationships
• establishing guidelines for staff work performance
• inspiring staff loyalty for the benefit of the business
• handling company growth
• promoting the company creatively
• dealing with the ups and downs of business
• gaining personal fulfillment from being your own boss
The 256-page book is available from Amazon and bookstores, such as Barnes & Noble, and can be ordered from Tate Publishing’s Web site. The cost is $13.99 for a digital download; $19.99 for a paperback version. The authors also have their own Web site. They note that more information is available on Facebook and Twitter.
