Consultant offers makeovers
Andrew Edwards
After more than two decades of working for other people, Erin Baldwin
could not afford to own a home in Orange County.
“I was working for a law firm, and I was told my salary was maxed
out,” Baldwin said. “That maxed-out salary wasn’t enough for a home
loan.”
Two years after starting her own business, she’s on her way to
purchasing a house in Anaheim Hills.
“As we speak right now, I’m in escrow to buy my first home,” she
said. “That’s as a single mom, which is not easy to do in your first
two years of business.”
Baldwin is the president of Costa Mesa-based Baldwin Business
Consulting, which in February launched its extreme business makeover
service. Perhaps not as flashy as the makeovers depicted on network
television, Baldwin said her job is to evaluate the nuts and bolts of
other companies’ operations, make recommendations and help implement
adjustments.
For example, Baldwin may decide a company needs to update its
bookkeeping procedures or enhance its benefit packages to retain
employees.
“I set up the systems and hire the staff or train their current
staff,” Baldwin said.
About one year ago, Baldwin helped Cindy Schallmo put together a
business plan for her Costa Mesa company, Creative Insurance
Solutions.
“What [Baldwin is] really good at, especially with a small
business, is we have a lot of ideas in our head, but we don’t put
them on paper,” Schallmo said, noting Baldwin helped her develop an
action plan for her company.
Currently, Baldwin is working with Schallmo to refine her office
procedures and hire her first employee.
By trying to improve the ways her clients perform day-to-day
tasks. Baldwin believes she gives her customers more time to focus on
their core business, whether they are plumbers or mortgage brokers.
“Their brain is free to market their business or develop their
business,” she said.
Baldwin’s specialties include assisting clients writing business
plans, taking stock of their companies’ organization, event planning
and relocations. She said her advice comes from her experience in a
variety of jobs, including time as an office manager, marketing
director and law firm administrator.
“There are some people who like to work with the MBA crowd and
some people who like to work with me,” she said. “I hope more like to
work with me.”
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