Management consulting is not an easy job; you must have a sharp ear, be a step ahead of your competitors, and always give the correct advice. Being an entrepreneur, on the other hand, involves coming up with a business plan, marketing your services, along with many other managerial duties. Imagine combining both! Today’s Day in the Life blog is about a person who combines entrepreneurship and consultancy quite effortlessly. Chidhambaram Raamakrishnan is the founder of Aarkays Biz Solutions. He is a workaholic and a dedicated family man, and has somehow found the time to balance both worlds. With over 18 years of experience in management consulting, Chidhambaram is a pioneer in this field in the Middle East. He has worked with many reputed organizations as a consultant, auditor and trainer. Chidhambaram helped many leading organizations in the region establish integrated management systems. He is also a lead auditor and management systems trainer, as well as an expert in ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001. Chidhambaram’s agenda: 5:00AM – 5:30AM The first thing I do when I wake up is yoga and meditation. Yoga and meditation help me alleviate stress. At this point, I usually have my first cup of coffee. I have five to six during the course of the day. 5:30AM – 8:30AM I am at my most creative and productive at this time of the day. I try and complete the top three to five items on my to-do list. A lot of my work as a management consultant involves documenting the quality, environmental, health and safety management systems in my clients’ organizations and advising them on various management system related issues. I use the mornings for documentation work. I also make sure to answer all my emails within 24 hours of receiving them. I exchange good mornings and light-hearted banter with my wife and daughter, have a light breakfast and I am ready to visit my clients! I visit 2 to 3 every day, depending on the nature of the contract. 9:00AM – 3:00PM Management systems are based on the classical PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, and Act) principle. I carry out the Plan part from my home office. I usually use this time for visiting clients, advising them on their management systems, and auditing and checking their effectiveness. I may also have sales and marketing meetings during this time. On some days I even conduct corporate training workshops. I might have a quick lunch in some vegetarian restaurant and usually have a power nap in the afternoons. The most challenging part of my job is managing time and keeping my commitments. I also find it hard to innovate and find ways to improve my services since I am so busy with the many clients I have. 3:30PM – 7:00PM I am usually back home by 3:30 or 4. For me this is family time. I exchange notes with my wife and daughter and crack jokes, read books, check out some of my favorite sites on the internet, maybe 15-20 minutes on social media, watch TV, and plan my next day’s work. Night time is very important to update my to-do list for the next day. The most rewarding part of my job is the satisfaction I get when I am able to meet my clients’ requirements. The management system consultant/trainer is like a doctor to the organizations he consults or trains. In no other profession does one get to meet such a wide variety of professionals or examine a wide range of business models. 7:00PM – 11:00PM During this time I usually go out with my family. This is not a fixed routine. It could be for shopping or eating out, and then off to bed. If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or consultant then my advice for you would be to continually sharpen your skills and to keep reading up on your area of expertise. Additionally, soft skills - such as good communication, interpersonal skills, active listening, time management, stress management and creative problem solving - are extremely important. Lastly, never think it’s too late to start your own business; if it’s your true calling then you must go for it!
