Updated July 18, 20266 min read
Written by Malcolm Reid Sr
Founder, President & CEO of ProGlobal Business Advisors
TL;DR
To vet a business advisor, confirm they have actually operated a business rather than only taught, ask for references you can contact, insist on transparent scope and pricing before you commit, and watch whether they diagnose your situation before pitching a solution. The good ones welcome the scrutiny.
Why vetting an advisor is different
Vetting a business advisor is harder than vetting a product, because you are buying judgement, and judgement is not visible on a sales page. The profession is also unregulated — anyone can use the title. So the burden is on you to check, and on any credible advisor to make that checking easy. This is the same standard we hold ourselves to.
The checks that matter most
- Operating experience. Has this person actually run a business and carried its risks, or only advised and taught? Both can help, but only one has felt the pressure you are describing.
- Contactable references. Real results produce clients willing to vouch. Ask for two you can actually call, then call them.
- Relevant track record. Have they solved a problem like yours before, in a real company, with money at stake? Ask them to describe it in specifics.
- Transparent scope and pricing. A credible advisor tells you what is included and what it costs before you commit. Evasion here rarely improves after the invoice.
- Diagnosis before pitch. Do they ask about your numbers and how your business runs, or do they pitch a package first? The former is advising; the latter is selling.
The sharpest test is what an advisor asks you. If nobody has asked about your numbers, you are being pitched, not diagnosed.
Red flags to walk away from
Some signals should end the conversation: guaranteed results or income promises, pricing that only appears after an emotional call, pressure to decide today, a track record built entirely on teaching other coaches, and any reluctance to provide references. One of these means slow down; two or more means keep looking.
Applying it here
It would be strange to publish this and expect an exception, so we do not. You can verify Malcolm Reid Sr's operating background — 25+ years in automotive retail leadership before founding ProGlobal Business Advisors — on LinkedIn and the public record, and any real engagement starts with a diagnosis of your business, not a pitch. Run the same checklist on anyone you are considering, including us.
What credentials should a business advisor have?
There are no legally required credentials — advisory is unregulated. That is exactly why operating experience, a verifiable track record and contactable references matter far more than any certificate when you are vetting one.
How many references should I ask a business advisor for?
At least two you are allowed to contact, and then actually contact them. Ask what specifically changed in their business. Vague answers, or an inability to provide reachable references at all, is a serious warning sign.
Should a business advisor have experience in my industry?
It helps but matters less than most owners assume. Constraints like pricing, founder dependency and weak sales processes repeat across industries, so operating experience generally beats industry familiarity.
About the author
Malcolm Reid Sr
Founder, President & CEO of ProGlobal Business Advisors
Malcolm Reid Sr is the founder, President and CEO of ProGlobal Business Advisors. Before founding the firm he spent more than 25 years in operating leadership, and by his own account generated over $1 billion in sales across the companies he led. He advises business owners and trains the advisors who do this work.
- 25+ years in business and sales leadership
- $1B+ in sales generated across companies led (career total)
- Founder of ProGlobal Business Advisors, Columbia, Maryland
Key takeaways
- Vet on operating experience, contactable references, transparent terms, and diagnosis-before-pitch.
- The sharpest test: do they ask about your numbers, or pitch a package?
- Walk away from guaranteed results, hidden pricing, urgency and no references.
- Hold any advisor — including us — to the same checklist.