Firing people is risky for the person potentially being fired, not for the owners of the firm. Growing and shrinking over time is part and parcel of running a consultancy. That&#x27;s why you see it all the time, and I&#x27;ll bet if you look closer at the ownership during layoffs you&#x27;ll find that they very rarely miss a paycheck and usually escape unharmed.<p>The fact that it&#x27;s an unpleasant reality doesn&#x27;t make it any more risky than e.g. having to pay taxes.