The short answer
Ask the consultant for two or three references from owners of businesses similar to yours in size and type, then call them. Ask what the problem was, what changed in their numbers, what the consultant did that they couldn't have done alone, how much time it took, what frustrated them, and whether the changes lasted. Specific, numbers-based answers are a good sign; warm but vague praise is not enough.
- Ask for references who look like you, not the consultant's biggest names.
- Focus on measurable change and whether it lasted.
- Ask what went wrong; every real engagement has friction.
Owners skip reference calls for understandable reasons: they feel awkward, they assume references are hand-picked to be positive, and they've usually formed an opinion already. All true. But even hand-picked references reveal a great deal when you ask the right questions, and the way a consultant handles your request for references is itself useful information.
Who should you ask to speak with?
Don't just ask for "some references." Be specific about who would be useful:
- Owners of businesses your size. A reference from a $300 million company tells you little about how the consultant works with a $5 million one.
- Similar problems. If your issue is margins, talk to someone whose issue was margins. If it's an owner bottleneck, find an owner who was one.
- A recent engagement. Consultants change over time; you want to know how they work now.
- An engagement at least a year old. This is how you find out whether the changes lasted after the consultant left.
Two or three well-chosen references are worth more than a long list of names. If a consultant can't produce any owners resembling you, that's worth noting — they may be strong elsewhere, but your situation would be new to them. We discuss when that matters in does your consultant need industry experience?
The questions that reveal the most
About the starting point
- What was going on in the business when you hired them?
- Why did you choose them over other options?
- What were you most worried about going in?
About what they actually did
- How did they figure out what was wrong? How much time did they spend inside your business?
- What did they do that you couldn't have done yourself?
- Did they implement the changes with your team, or hand you a plan?
- Who from their side did the work week to week?
About results
- What changed in your numbers — margin, profit, cash, hours?
- How did you measure it?
- Are the changes still in place today?
About the experience
- How much of your time did it take?
- What frustrated you about working with them?
- How did your managers and staff react?
- Would you hire them again? For what?
How to read what references tell you
References chosen by the consultant will usually be positive. Your job is to listen for how specific the positivity is.
| Encouraging signs | Signs to probe further |
|---|---|
| Specific numbers: "gross margin went from 18 to 26 percent" | Only feelings: "they were great to work with" |
| Concrete actions: "they rebuilt our job-costing sheet with my estimator" | Only advice: "they gave us a lot of good ideas" |
| Honest friction: "the first month was hard on my managers" | No friction at all, ever |
| Lasting change: "we still run the Monday meeting they set up" | Uncertainty about what's still in place |
| Clear about who did the work | Unsure who the consultant actually was |
Enthusiastic but vague references aren't necessarily a bad sign — some owners simply don't think in numbers. But if every reference is vague, you're learning that the consultant's results may not be measurable, or weren't measured.
Checking beyond the reference list
The references a consultant gives you are a curated sample. You can widen the picture:
- Published results and case studies. Look for specifics: company names where clients have agreed, problems, and measured outcomes. Ours are on the results page.
- Reviews. Google and similar reviews are useful as a starting point, though consulting clients are few and many prefer privacy.
- Your own network. Ask other owners, your banker, your CPA or your industry association whether they've come across the consultant.
- Credentials. Verify them with the granting body. Our guide to consultant credentials explains what each one means.
- Consistency. The consultant's website, profile and proposal should tell the same story as the references.
What if a consultant won't provide references?
There are legitimate reasons a consultant might hesitate. Consulting clients often share sensitive financial and personnel information and may prefer not to be contacted, and a very new consultant may not yet have many clients. But a practicing consultant with an established track record should be able to connect you with at least one or two owners who are happy to talk, or to share detailed, verifiable results with client permission. Outright refusal, combined with vague claims about past work, is one of the red flags worth walking away from.
Warning signs during a reference call
Most reference calls are reassuring. Occasionally, though, something in the conversation should make you pause. Pay attention if the reference:
- Can't describe what the consultant actually did. If the owner struggles to name a single change, the engagement may have been mostly conversation.
- Talks only about the consultant's personality. Likability matters, but it isn't a result.
- Mentions a different person doing the work. "Mostly we worked with their associate" tells you about staffing.
- Hesitates when you ask if they'd hire them again. A pause before "probably" is information.
- Seems unusually close to the consultant. A reference who turns out to be a friend or business partner is not an independent client.
None of these is conclusive on its own. But if two or more appear across your calls, raise them directly with the consultant. How they respond — openly or defensively — is one more piece of evidence about how they'll handle problems in your engagement.
How to make the call easy for the reference
References are doing you a favor. Make it painless:
- Email first to arrange a short call at their convenience.
- Say up front that you'll need about fifteen minutes.
- Tell them a little about your business so they can judge what's relevant to you.
- Don't ask for confidential numbers; ask about direction and magnitude.
- Thank them — and offer to return the favor someday.
Owners are generally generous with other owners. Most will tell you more than you expected once they know you're in a similar position.
Putting references in context
References are one input among several. Weigh them alongside the consultant's method, who will actually do the work, how success will be measured, and the risk they're willing to share. A strong method with modest references can still be a good choice; glowing references paired with a vague method are not enough. Our full checklist is in how to choose a business consultant, and the questions to ask the consultant directly are in 21 questions to ask before hiring.
Frequently asked questions
How many references should I check?
Two or three is usually enough, provided they resemble your business in size and problem. One reference from an engagement that ended a year or more ago is especially valuable, because it shows whether the changes lasted.
Are references hand-picked to be positive?
Usually, yes. That's why the questions matter. Even a supportive reference will reveal how the consultant worked, what they did and whether results were measured, if you ask specifically.
What should I do if a reference is lukewarm?
Ask what they would have wanted done differently. A lukewarm reference is often the most useful one, because it tells you where the consultant's approach may not suit you.
Can I ask a reference about money?
Ask about the direction and scale of change rather than exact figures — for example, whether margin improved by a few points or a lot. Most owners are comfortable describing outcomes in those terms.
What if the consultant's clients want to stay anonymous?
That's common and reasonable, since clients share sensitive information. Ask whether a past client would take a short call on a first-name basis, or whether the consultant can share detailed results with identifying details removed. A good consultant will find a way to give you evidence without breaking confidences.
Should I check references before or after the first meeting?
After. The first meeting tells you whether the consultant is worth the effort; references then confirm or challenge your impression before you sign.
Where to start
We're glad to connect serious prospects with past clients, and our published results are on the results page. The first step is a free conversation about your business. Start the free assessment — about five minutes — and you'll hear back within one business day. To understand what the work itself looks like, see how our engagements work.
