Elizabeth Spiers has worn a number of hats over the past few years–launched Dealbreaker.com and AboveTheLaw.com, founding editor of Gawker, even editing the pink newspaper where Betabeat’s column appears. And now that she’s back in the startup world, early-stage companies are lining up for consulting advice.
But what about the startups that can’t afford rent, let alone advice from consultants? Ever the entrepreneur, Ms. Spiers has come up with a novel idea that she calls “Working Lunch.”
According to her website:
The client gets three hours of my time (including lunch, which the client pays for, but I don’t care if that’s Chipotle or the Four Seasons) and I charge a flat fee. Two hours for prep on my part (send me your business plan, product, etc. ahead of time) and one hour for discussion and recommendations.
It’ll cost $400 plus Chipotle (CMG) (if you choose Four Seasons, it’s pretty obvious that your lunchtime consultant’s advice will be “slow the burn rate”). That’s a bargain for any company, though Ms. Spiers indicates that it “only makes sense for a certain type of client.”
A business consultant who shows creativity in the way she runs her own business is already ahead of the game when it comes to advising others. With this innovative way of providing access to those shut out of the consultant class, Ms. Spiers’ new venture is off to a promising start.
Two burrito bowls, please.
