This is probably the question I get asked most often. People assume there's some kind of barrier to entry, and that you need to have spent years at McKinsey or Deloitte before you're "allowed" to hang out your own shingle. Honestly, I understand why that fear exists....
They employ business managers, analysts, IT specialists, and qualified staff members. So why are companies hiring more and more external consultants?
If your interest in starting a consulting business stems from a desire to break free from the corporate rat race and work for yourself, that's as good a reason as any. Certainly, with your own business, you're no longer lining the coffers of an employing organisation....
Consulting startups fare far worse than any other professional entrepreneurship, according to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics, with around 80% of new consulting companies folding within their first two years of operation. That figure tends to shock people when they...
A few months ago, a visitor to my blog asked me, in a comment, about the value of having a website in the early stages of a consulting business. Specifically, the reader asked if a new independent consultant would be disadvantaged by starting up without the immediate support of a website…
You’ve taken the leap and launched your long-dreamed-about independent consultancy. Due to your reputation and flair for business, clients are knocking on your door. But you find yourself overwhelmed by the endless small tasks associated with running your startup. Where do you turn to for help?
So, you want to learn how to break into the consulting profession as an independent? Many entrepreneurs do. Some take degrees. Others take online courses. Many opt for hands-on experience with a large company as a starting point. No one, however, can avoid the experiential school of hard knocks.