Management consulting did not begin as a single career move for this professional. Instead, it evolved from years of experience working at the intersection of people development, systems improvement, and organizational standards.
Marvin Chris Zoilo, Certified Management Consultant (CMC®), entered the consulting field with a strong foundation in human resources, education, and quality systems. “I am an HR professional with a background in ISO training and Org Development and Curriculum Development as a licensed Professional Teacher,” he shared. That multidisciplinary background would later become one of his strongest advantages as a consultant.
His early work exposed him to both public and private sector realities. He has worked on government projects, collaborated with educational institutions, and supported private sector organizations across industries such as automotive, manufacturing, logistics, advertising, and hospitality. Each environment required a different lens, pace, and approach.
“I have worked for Government Projects in the capacity of consulting, as well as Educational institutions,” he said. “For Training and ISO preparations, I have worked in the private sector such as Automotive, Manufacturing, Logistics, Advertising and Hotel industries.”
This breadth of exposure shaped how he views consulting—not as a fixed methodology, but as a flexible discipline that must adapt to context. Government engagements demanded compliance, coordination, and risk management. Educational institutions required curriculum alignment and developmental sensitivity. Private companies, on the other hand, focused on efficiency, competitiveness, and scalability.
To navigate these environments, Zoilo relied on a strong technical toolkit. “Key skills I had to prepare included Project Management, Total Quality Management, Negotiation Skills, Presentation Skills, Curriculum Development, and Strategic thinking,” he explained. These skills allowed him to operate effectively across functions and leadership levels.
Over time, he observed a broader pattern in the Philippine consulting landscape. “There’s still a lot of potential because there’s only a small percentage of private companies which use consulting firms and professionals,” he said. From his perspective, consulting remains underutilized—particularly by organizations that only seek external expertise when problems escalate.
“If companies in the Philippines embrace the as-need basis for Consulting,” he noted, “an increase of 30–40% will be felt in the consulting community.”
For Zoilo, the opportunity lies not just in market growth, but in elevating how organizations think about consulting—as a proactive partner rather than a last resort. He believes that consultants who thrive today bring depth, credibility, and real operational experience.
“Successful Consultants thrive because of their veracity of knowledge, skills and experience in various fields of expertise,” he said. “Those with years of executive management have an extra advantage when it comes to a more niche and leadership-level exposures.”
In his own practice, this translated into assignments that required both technical discipline and judgment under pressure. One government project stood out for its complexity and responsibility.
“One of the projects I did was in the government where I have to make sure the safety of the participants because these are government officials from another country,” he recalled. “At the same time I have make sure the curriculum is run to the tee.”
Executing that engagement required meticulous planning, cross-institutional coordination, and constant risk assessment. “A lot of project management came into play and sheer determination to properly coordinate with the assigned institutions were needed,” he said.
That experience reinforced his belief that consulting success depends not just on expertise, but on preparation and teamwork. His advice to aspiring consultants reflects this reality.
“Always do your homework and be prepared,” he emphasized. “No matter how brilliant one can be, you are not superhuman; we all rely from our teams and the people around us.”
For Zoilo, consulting is ultimately a discipline built on trust—trust in systems, trust in people, and trust earned through consistent delivery across diverse environments.
