NCN has seen its fair share of inquiries into consulting, and often these individuals or organizations are uncertain if they’ve come “at the right time.” Should I have x, y, and z figured out already? Have we gone too far down the road and should’ve engaged you sooner? In reality, any time you’re in need of expert help is an okay time to reach out. We do not want to see your project flounder and discontinue if it’s meant to be. That said, these initial preparation steps can help set you and your cohort up for success before entering into a contract with NCN. 1. Have a partner in crime. We’ve seen much more success if you have already been discussing colocation with at least one other person or entity. A sole individual raising the concept of shared space is definitely not a bad thing in and of itself, but have you hashed this out with someone who shares or could share in this vision? It can be a bit of a red flag if this is just one person’s pet project idea. Nonprofit centers are all about sharing, from start to finish, and that includes having at least 2 project leads on an NCN feasibility assessment. Not only do you have someone to share the workload with, but you also have another set eyes and ears to discuss and reflect on the process. 2. Engage larger entities.