50-thousand-foot view

The 50-thousand-foot view of an item or process is when you take a step back and only look at the high-level aspects of it. Many people will get lost in the minutia of an item or begin to jump down rabbit holes when trying to explain something, so it is good to bring the conversation back up to a higher level when that is all that is needed.

Low Hanging Fruit 

Low hanging fruit describes tasks or project items that are very simple and quick to accomplish. These tasks can be started and completed from beginning to end. A good consulting strategy will stack a series of low hanging fruit at the beginning of phases of work so that the client can see the immediate benefits of the work.

Let’s cycle back around to that

This phrase will occur in two instances. The first is when the conversation has spiraled out of control or taken a tangent and what is being discussed is not immediately valuable to the original conversation. Noting down this tangent and coming back to it at a later time is sometimes the best course of action to ensure you don’t go too far off track. The second scenario this will occur in is when the audience member is lost in the conversation or does not have an immediate answer. This is a good way to get a break in the conversation on a topic you may not be familiar with and give yourself some time to get familiar with the topic so you do not discredit yourself.

Boiling the ocean

The metaphor of boiling the ocean represents trying to do too much at once. Taking on more than you can chew adds risk and creates a larger amount of work that may be too much to handle with results that take too long to surface. 

Peeling the onion

Peeling the onion describes the process of breaking down a business process one layer at a time, starting from the top.

Sticker Shock

Sticker shock is when you present the client with the statement of work you have been working on for a few weeks and they freak out due to the high price tag. This can be caused by either not initially realizing what average consulting rates are these days or being shocked by the amount of work or the duration of work. Before presenting a statement of work, it is best to review and discuss with your internal team. There may be room for negotiation if you are trying to get a foothold at the client for an eventual land and expand strategy. 

SOW (Statement of Work)

The SOW is the detailed document that defines the project purpose, requirements, effort, hours and cost that the client would incur if the project is initiated. A signed SOW by both sides (the firm and the client) is when a project is considered “Inked” and official.

RFP (Request for proposal)

This is a document that requests clients to submit their bid or statement of work for a set of initial requirements. 

Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)

A non-disclosure agreement is a legal contract between at least two parties that list confidential material, knowledge, or information that the parties wish to share with one another for certain purposes, but wish to restrict access to or by third parties. An NDA is usually created and signed between the client and consulting organization early in the sales process so that both parties may discuss the problem area the client is having as well as the solutions the consulting firm can offer.

Master Services Agreement (MSA)

A Master Services Agreement is a contract reached between parties, in which the parties agree to most of the terms that will govern future transactions or future agreements.

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My Experience with the Bag
It is safe to say I have really liked the bag, as I continue to use it to this day. The bag is extremely sturdy and well sewn at the straps. The back of the bag is also cushioned so it feels great to wear and it softens any impacts when walking or running in an airport to catch a flight. The inside of the bag is great size as I’ve comfortable fit a 15.5-inch laptop in there with plenty of space to spare.

It is safe to say I have really liked the bag, as I continue to use it to this day. The bag is extremely sturdy and well sewn at the straps. The back of the bag is also cushioned so it feels great to wear and it softens any impacts when walking or running in an airport to catch a flight. The inside of the bag is great size as I’ve comfortable fit a 15.5-inch laptop in there with plenty of space to spare.

The big test came at the airports. Out of all my trips, I think only twice did I come across security that was unfamiliar with the bag and still make me take the laptop out. Security will also not allow you to stack electronics, so if you have more then one laptop or tablet, you will need to take that one out. For most trips where I had a single laptop, just unzipping the bag and passing it through was significantly easier saving me some time and headache.

My biggest complaint about the bag, however, is the lack of expansion from a width perspective. With one laptop, note book, charger and other small electronics, you have taken up most of the capacity of the bag. It would be great if there was a bit more room for two changes of clothes for the single night of travel kind of trips.

I was originally skeptical of the lifetime warranty when I purchased the bag but when the straps wore down at the 4-year mark, I reached out to customer support and was surprised how easy it was to get a replacement. There was no way after that amount of time I would still have the receipt, but all I had to do was send them my existing bag and a few weeks later I had a brand new one. The new one I have has held up significantly better with no signs of wear or tear on the straps this time.

Overall, I highly recommend this bag. For the days TSA Precheck is closed or too far of a walk, this will make your airport security experience a little easier. 

Check out the bag below if interested or my book with a lot more consulting travel tips!

See the link below to purchase!