You Are the Value

2 Discovering the Value Ladder™

I’ve discussed a few key concepts so far: winging it, confidence, passion, and speed. However, what I believe sets me apart is my dogged dedication to helping people in the profession of consulting and, yes, selling take their ability to compete on value to levels that they have never experienced before. As a CPA who needs to know his or her value and the price of that value, you are not only an indispensable consultant for your clients but also someone with the potential to be—excuse me, folks—a great salesperson. That means being able to sell your value.

We have seen a renewed focus on value in recent years—a value revolution, in fact. Many authors are writing about the value revolution and their interpretation of it. I have read their books, and they occupy an honored place on my bookshelves. I also was influenced by some friends and fellow consultants with their iterations of the word value. I have spent years of my life earning the equivalent of a doctorate in the challenges we all face in trying to stand out and to differentiate our firms, our solutions, and ourselves. I have performed my own internal introspection to learn how to become my best; raise my confidence level; and, in the process, help others excel and enhance their confidence. The real value of this journey, as I say, has been amazing. Seeing organizations and individuals competing on their value, winning client mandates, and feeling better about themselves has been my finest ...