Hiring Consultants or In-House Talent

But we also recognize that consulting isn’t always a long-term solution. This article is about how companies can use consultants more sustainably—and give internal teams the best chance of success.

A Frustrating Pattern

Does this sound familiar? A company hires consultants to launch a new initiative. The consultants execute a defined scope of work, use up the budget, and then the company brings in junior designers or developers to carry the torch.

But these internal hires are dropped into complex, fast-moving systems they didn’t help design—and they’re expected to keep up. Predictably, they struggle. And when progress stalls, the consultants are brought back in to fix it. The cycle repeats.

Let’s consider the financial implications of this approach:

• Consultant launches the project with a 3-month SOW, billed at $60K

• Internal team spends another 3 months ramping up, costing ~$30K in overhead

• Consultant returns for a 1-month re-engagement at $20K to rework or finish what stalled

The project that was estimated to cost $80K ends up costing $110K—with delayed delivery and hard feelings.

Of course, the less obvious—but more lasting—impact is cultural. In a letter published in the Financial Times, Chief Executive Gautam Ramdurai points out that “Fortune 500 groups' over-reliance on consultants signals to internal teams that their expertise is undervalued.” When consultants are seen as the only ones capable of shipping results, internal teams are understandably frustrated.

Why Handoffs Fail

Even when intentions are good, clean handoffs are rare. Here’s why:

• Context gets lost between teams

• Junior staff are left to maintain “black box” solutions they didn’t help build

• Consultants working in isolation make well-meaning decisions that miss practical constraints

The result? Back-and-forth, missed expectations, and declining momentum.

According to Gordon Polovin at Sogolytics, “time to productivity” (T2P) is directly related to the way that we train and guide team members in a new role. This principle seems obvious, but the specific application has evaded many well meaning product leads. This isn’t just about better documentation. It’s about how knowledge is transferred—and how capability is built.

What Mentorship Solves That Consulting Alone Can’t

Instead of tossing projects over the wall, we advocate for working alongside your internal team.

At Mass Productive, we embed mentorship into the consulting process. We work directly with junior designers and developers through:

• Weekly pairing sessions

• Async code and design reviews

• Strategic guidance on real deliverables

This gives your team the ability to grow while continuing to deliver. It also creates tighter feedback loops, better alignment, and stronger ownership. Leadership coaches at Chronus observe that, “Mentored employees are more productive and more likely to stay with their organization.” 

Why It Works

Mentorship unlocks three essential benefits that consulting alone rarely achieves:

1. You solve the right problem.
   By working closely with the team, you uncover constraints, context, and history that wouldn’t surface otherwise. That leads to more relevant, durable solutions.

2. You move faster.
   Real-time collaboration cuts down on back-and-forth, rework, and interpretation errors that come with siloed delivery.

3. You build ownership.
   When internal team members help shape the solution, they’re more likely to support, extend, and improve it—leading to better adoption and morale.

A Smarter Investment

Let’s revisit that earlier scenario—this time with mentorship in place.

• Consultants spend $50K working shoulder-to-shoulder with internal staff to establish a design system or component library

• An ongoing $2K/month mentorship retainer is included to regularly pair with the team and keep the project moving 

• There’s no need for ramp-up, handoff, or fire-drill re-engagement

Of course, these are illustrative estimates based on industry averages and past experience. But the results are consistent: the timeline shrinks, the costs stay predictable, and your internal team becomes a long-term asset—not an afterthought.

Is Your Team Incapable—Or Just Under-Supported?

If your junior team members are struggling, it doesn’t mean they’re not cut out for the work. It might just mean they could use the environment or support to grow into the role.

Mentorship doesn’t just transfer skills. It builds confidence, autonomy, and long-term capability.

You may not need to expand your team or outsource more work. You may just need to help the people you’ve already hired become more productive.

Need Help?

We can help you build a support system that grows your internal team while keeping your goals on track. Reach out to explore making mentorship part of your next project.