The context of the professional business advisor is explored, with specific focus on the culture, com m unication preferences and learning styles they prefer.The advisor's rational and analytic world-view is contrasted with the inform al and idiosyncratic world of the typical sm all business owner. Interviews with ten professional advisors suggest that there is som e truth to the assum ption that advisors and owners have disparate world-views. Advisors do recognize this disparity, but recognition of the problem is only the first step. Even advisors who are m otivated to improve the advice relationship by im m ersing them selves in the world of the sm all business owner can expect to face challenges because of the dynam ic nature of the advisory relationship and of the firm 's development.
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