So do you have to be a god tier Nobel Laureates to get this kind of gig where you just learn about a business and then offer random suggestions that might or might not help them and charge obscene fees for the privilege?
You definitely don't have to be god tier anything, you just need to know at least a little more than the companies you are consulting for.
This kind of work has been my primary income for the last 4 years or so. Nowhere near on the same level as Feynman, but I know enough about enough other things that I get a lot of reputational referrals.
>you just need to know at least a little more than the companies you are consulting for.
sometimes (i'd argue often, actually), you don't even need that. simply having an outside/fresh perspective and the fact that you aren't part of any of the existing groups/silos is valuable.
Often the most useful thing is just listening to the right people in the company. I wouldn't be 100% surprised if someone in the company in the story had already had the idea for the third electrode, but it took the suggestion from the high-paid consultant to get it taken seriously.
I imagine you can also start by doing the same thing for a low cost, or for free. Find a local business that’s interested, give your advice, build reputation, repeat.
You can be all over the ball park and people always get their money's worth :)
If you do it where the client can take it to the bank, they will often come back to see what happens with those kind of returns if they actually invest something substantial.
