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Daniel, Partner at Advue Consulting: Advize Career Interview
A finance degree, internships at Targa Resources and KPMG, and a consulting role at IBM laid the foundation for a remarkable career path.
This journey led to a boutique consulting firm partnership and ultimately, a Partner role at Advue Consulting, focusing on assisting small, Latino-owned businesses.
The work demands thinking on one's feet, embracing ambiguity, and leveraging available resources—skills honed through experience and a proactive approach to mentorship.
Success involved prioritizing a high GPA, impactful networking, and securing high-profile internships. A DACA recipient, this individual's dedication to hard work and proactive networking overcame perceived obstacles.
The interview highlights the importance of continuous learning, adaptability within a constantly evolving industry, and the immense satisfaction derived from making a tangible impact on the lives of entrepreneurs.
The accessibility of online resources, coupled with a commitment to "thinking outside the box," is presented as a key to unlocking career advancement.
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Daniel Tax
Partner
Advue Consulting
University of Houston, 2016
N/A
Finance
Finance (Banking, Fintech, Investing)
Consulting
Honors Student, Immigrant
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Career Path of a Partner at a Boutique Consulting Firm
Daniel's career path began with a finance degree and internships at Targa Resources and KPMG, followed by a full-time consulting role at IBM for four to five years. A year-long program in the music industry then led to a part-time partnership at a Houston boutique consulting firm, "a company that a friend of mine started from college."
Main Responsibilities of a Partner at Advue Consulting
Daniel's main responsibilities at Advue Consulting encompass "day-to-day operations," including project review and execution, business process automation leveraging their IBM experience to improve internal services, and management, which includes employee oversight and crucial cashflow management in the smaller firm setting. This contrasts sharply with prior roles in large corporations, where such diverse responsibilities were likely delegated.
A Day In The Life Of A Partner At Advue Consulting
A Partner at Advue Consulting prioritizes revenue generation, dedicating "75% of [their] workday" to directly billable work or overseeing billable team members. The remaining time is split between management tasks, including employee performance and vendor relations, and strategic business process automation.
Most Important Skills For A Partner At Advue Consulting
For a consulting career, the ability to "think on your feet and be okay with ambiguity" is paramount, as projects and industries vary greatly. Success requires the confidence to approach unfamiliar challenges by leveraging resources, networking, and applying best practices, even while acknowledging "you're not gonna know all the answers."
Favorite Parts of Being a Partner at Advue Consulting
Daniel, a Partner at Advue Consulting, finds the most rewarding aspect of his current role is the firm's focus on helping small, Latino-owned businesses— "between 500 to $20 million in revenue"— grow, allowing him to directly impact "great entrepreneurs" who need business guidance. This contrasts with larger firms where "you don't really choose how you use your time," offering a more fulfilling and impactful career path.
Biggest Challenges Faced By A Partner At Advue Consulting
Daniel's biggest challenge as a Partner at Advue Consulting is balancing client satisfaction with providing effective, data-driven advice; this involves navigating the delicate act of pushing clients, "to maybe charge their suppliers more," while respecting their autonomy and ultimately achieving their goals.
Favorite Parts of Working in the Consulting Industry as a Partner
Daniel, a Partner at Advue Consulting, finds the ever-changing nature of the consulting industry most appealing, stating that "the problems and projects you'll see are always new". This constant learning and intellectual stimulation suits individuals who "get bored really fast but still want to be intellectually challenged," making it a perfect fit for his career path.
What Type Of Person Thrives In The Consulting Industry According To A Partner At Advue Consulting
To thrive in the consulting industry, intellectual curiosity is essential, as the work requires "learning about something you probably didn't think you'd wanna learn about," and finding value within it. Furthermore, a comfort with ambiguity and the confidence to "be in front of the client" are crucial attributes for success.
What a Partner at Advue Consulting Wishes They Knew Before Consulting
Daniel, a Partner at Advue Consulting, wishes someone had told him that "mostly everything" needed to succeed in the industry is readily available online for free or inexpensively, citing examples like IBM's data science program being replicated on Coursera and financial modeling courses costing a mere "hundred bucks." This highlights the accessibility of crucial skills development outside of traditional corporate training programs.
Entry-Level Positions for Aspiring Consultants
Entry-level consulting positions include internships and "entry-level consulting jobs" at consulting firms; alternatively, business-related roles such as "business analytics" or "business development," or roles within a specific industry like healthcare, can provide a valuable transition into consulting.
Significant Career Lesson from a Partner at Advue Consulting
Daniel, a Partner at Advue Consulting, emphasizes the importance of "always…think outside the box," advocating for questioning established procedures to discover innovative solutions. This approach, exemplified by using robotic process automation to replace manual data transfer, demonstrates how challenging assumptions can lead to significant cost and time savings, ultimately accelerating career advancement.
College Experiences That Helped a Partner at Advue Consulting Succeed
To achieve career success, Daniel, a Partner at Advue Consulting, prioritized maintaining "a very high GPA, about 3.5," actively participating in student organizations to build a professional network, and securing internships at "big brand names, Fortune 500 companies"—a strategy that propelled Daniel from a less prominent school to a high-paying job. This combination of academic excellence, networking, and practical experience proved invaluable in their career trajectory.
How Identity Has Influenced A Partner At Advue Consulting's Career
Daniel's DACA status prompted a focus on "what I can control," leading to a dedication to hard work and proactive mentorship seeking. This strategy, involving reaching out to professionals on LinkedIn and asking "How do I get to your position?", effectively compensated for perceived networking disadvantages and accelerated career advancement.
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