Dallas Business Consultant Uses Education To Empower Clients
Richard Tozer is a longtime business consultant, working with owners and managers of small growing companies helping them solve critical problems and develop long-term strategies. Tozer's clients have reaped significant rewards. In one scenario, his client made $1,000 for every $1 spent on consulting services. Tozer earned a bachelor's degree in engineering from Case Institute of Technology, a master's in engineering and a doctorate in business from Harvard University.
"I owe a debt of gratitude to Howard Raiffa, a great pioneer of statistical decision theory at Harvard Business School. He suggested that I transfer from engineering to business," said Tozer who wanted to apply his quantitative skills to business.
Tozer advises those considering returning to school to earn a master's degree: "Think carefully about your objectives. Have specific objectives in mind – know how you are going to use the degree to further your career. Choose a program and a school where you can be in the upper 20 to 25 percent of the class. You want to be an outstanding student wherever you go."
For those pursuing a doctorate, Tozer suggests: "Know which faculty member you want to study under and what research/thesis topic you want to pursue. Your doctoral degree is a very personal degree. It isn't like an undergrad where everybody sits in class and learns the same thing. At the doctorate level, you are specializing in something and doing your own research into something that hasn't been done before – it is personalized to you."
"My biggest challenge was finding a thesis topic for my doctorate. I spent a year trying to figure out what I was going to research," said Tozer. "It should be a topic that gives you knowledge and helps you make your next career move," Tozer said.
"The biggest reward is being able to help others understand and resolve complex business situations," said Tozer who also teaches finance and accounting seminars all over the world.
Robin D. Everson is a native Chicagoan who resides in Dallas, Texas. Her appreciation for art, food, wine, people and places has helped her become a well-respected journalist. A life-long lover of education, Robin seeks to learn and enlighten others about culture. You can find her work at Examiner.com