Deborah Morrish & Associates specializes in adjudication on behalf of humanitarian issues.
The company leverages the experience of adjudicator and founder Deborah Morrish, an Administrative/Adjudication Consultant with over 35 years in the field. She’s also an experienced humanitarian consultant, a former educator, a frequent international speaker on humanitarian issues, a volunteer and mother.
Morrish has served as the Vice Chair of the Ontario Social Assistance Review Board and as the Assistant Deputy Chair of the Immigration and Refugee Board. She’s also worked as a consultant to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in South Africa.
The trajectory of her career led to a number of degrees and certifications, including HBA, BEd, BSc, as well as two master’s degrees. She earned the Management for Executives certificate from the Canada School of Public Service and a Diploma in Studies in French at La Sorbonne, Paris. She also holds an Alternative Dispute Resolution Certification Parts 1 & 2 in Toronto, Ontario.
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What obstacles did you have to overcome to get your business off the ground?
Deborah Morrish: Well, at first there is no back up. You are on your own doing everything and trying to stay afloat. You have to wear a lot of different hats and try to do a good job even at the parts of running a business that might not come easily to you. I do think it gets easier over time, but only if you’ve both put in sufficient time and effort to make your business sustainable. That means slowly adding people you can trust to take over tasks and do them with the same dedication as yourself.
How has the consulting business changed in the last 10 years?
Deborah Morrish: Connectivity has allowed for more contacts and easier access to information you need. In today’s world, if you have the energy and intelligence to tackle a task, there’s technology and information to help you do it. I don’t think that’s only true for consulting, either. No matter what business you’re in, it’s the smart use of technology that sets apart a business from its competitors in the 21st century. I think that’s only going to become more true as we move forward and technology becomes more and more intertwined with our lives, both personal and professional.
What is your favorite part about being a consultant?
Deborah Morrish: I would have to say the flexibility and independence that it provides. Once you’ve become self-employed, it’s really hard to go back to the norm. As a consultant, I’m able to set my own workload, take time off when I need it, or really dive into the work when I need to feel productive. As for the work itself, I find it very satisfying to help others simply by providing advice and guidance that stems from my education and work experience. Consulting can be a very rewarding profession.
What advice do you have for people who want to start a consulting business?
Deborah Morrish: Do it! I think now is an excellent time to be starting any business, and especially consulting. We’ve seen a huge increase in entrepreneurs and new businesses during the pandemic, in both the US and in Canada. So many people were forced to take a long look at their jobs, and many of them decided it was finally time to try pursuing their dreams of being self-employed and running their own business. As for consulting, if you have a special skill or deep knowledge of an industry, or a new approach that increases the effectiveness of a particular business, then consulting could definitely be a smart choice. You won’t know until you try.
What do you see for the future of your business and the consulting industry as a whole?
Deborah Morrish: There will be more consultants and fewer in-house experts. Companies and agencies will be looking for help without any strings attached. There’s so much transformation occurring in the world right now, regardless of industry or specialization. I think many of us thought the advent of the Internet was a technological revolution, but it’s becoming clear that we’re now living in a time of even greater change right now, as technology becomes inseparable from our daily lives — and from how we advance in the world in our careers. It’s a fascinating time to be alive. Those who can correctly guess the future trajectory of consulting will have an enormous advantage.