Expert consultants – How they got there

/ Becoming a consultant / By

Expert consultants – wondering how they got there? Here’s a quick overview of some founders of top consulting firms, where they came from and how they got there.

Tom Peters:

Tom Peters started out with a master’s degree in civil engineering, but he later studied business at Stanford, receiving both an MBA and a PhD. After spending some time in the navy and working at the White House, Tom joined McKinsey & Company as a management consultant in the 1970s. In 1981 he left McKinsey & Company and started to work as an independent consultant. Soon after, Tom wrote "In Search of Excellence," which became a bestseller and landed Peters a series of PBS special television shows. Since then he has written numerous books and continues to consult on personal and business empowerment. Tom also runs The Tom Peters Company, which is an extension of his consulting services.

Arthur Dehon Little:

Arthur Dehon Little was born in 1863 and died in 1935. He was a chemist, but by 1909 Arthur Dehon Little had incorporated a company, "Arthur D. Little," (ADL). ADL would later become known for its analytical and consulting studies, including studies on telecommunications deregulation and natural resources. ADL still stands as an international management consulting firm, and the company is recognized today as the earliest firm of its kind. 

Edwin G. Booz:

Edwin G. Booz founded the consulting firm Booz Allen & Hamilton in the early 1900s. After graduating with an undergraduate degree in economics and a master’s degree in psychology, he immediately went to work on his own to study and analyze business in the private sector. During WWI Edwin G. Booz was drafted into the Army, but was put to good use there–putting his expertise regarding business strategy to work for the government. These early contracts with the government led to Booz Allen & Hamilton’s long-standing work with a number of sectors within the federal government.

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