CONSULTANTS WHO LOVE CONSULTING – PAULINE PATENAUDE, MBA, CMC
Q1 In brief, describe how you entered the profession of management consulting, or when did you decide that management consulting was a profession that you wanted to enter?
It was early in my career in the 1990’s working as the Marketing Research Manager for the Technology Transfer Branch of the Saskatchewan Research Council. I realized that management consulting offered a challenge that would keep me engaged. This is when I obtained my CMC designation.
Q2 What do you love most about consulting?
I love the variety of clients and industries that I work with. I feel very fortunate that I am not bored with what I do or who I work with.
Q3 What do you like the least?
Bookkeeping, corporate tax time (all the lost productive time) trying to remember what the expense was for a year ago. I always vow to do better next year.
Q4 What has been your most satisfying engagement and why?
The most recent satisfying engagement has been working in the craft beer industry in Western Canada. I started with the first client in 2014 who were a group of barley farmers starting their own value-added malting production, which lead to the next client in malting equipment and so on and so on. It has been most rewarding to watch an entire industry flourish and become a tourism destination. The industry has tripled in size in only three years. Did I mention clients in the craft beer industry are friendly and cooperative?
Q5 What personality trait has helped you the most in your career?
Being innovative and being able to visualize solutions outside the box has been the most helpful in my career. Also, being analytical and on the science side of marketing (as there are already many talented creative marketing professionals). For me, it is all about the numbers.
Q6 Finally, if you were stranded on a desert island - What is one book and one luxury item you would take with you?
The one book I would bring along is the Bible. I would have time to read it, reflect on the readings and if not, keep reading until I can interpret them. The luxury item would be the most comfortable bed and bedding I could afford, as I would finally have time to sleep!
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