Taking the leap into consulting

It’s just about 6 months since I started my consulting company, Toward Safer LLC. Although I’m still relatively new at it, I’ve learned a few things along the way that I want to share, particularly because I’ve talked to so many people who’ve said they have thought about consulting but didn’t feel ready to take the leap. Here's 6 tips from my first 6 months...

1. It’s not as scary as you think. Getting started, it wasn’t so hard (or expensive) to create a company, website, business cards, brochures, and even a blog. With today’s technologies, it’s pretty easy to do these things by yourself and online. I’ve been able to design my company around my interests and strengths. It’s so exciting to be able to pick and choose projects and clients based on what I want to do. And working on new projects, I’ve learned a lot and have been able to share my knowledge (including some technical things I haven't thought about in years). You probably know more than you think you do!

2. Take advantage of unexpected opportunities. This has been my motto for the past 6 months. I’ve had several unexpected opportunities come my way that have led to some interesting work and learnings. You may have in mind exactly the kinds of clients or projects you will have, but it’s good to stay open to others. For example, I didn't expect to be consulting with several green technology start-up companies and learning about lean start-up techniques. Keep your eyes open for opportunities by attending conferences/meetings/seminars, learning from webinars/podcasts/blogs, volunteering in activities related to your profession, and just plain talking to people (both new & existing acquaintances). You'll probably be surprised (and excited) by the direction that your work takes you.

3. Use your network and social media. I’ve used LinkedIn and Twitter to connect with and expand my network, plus to follow industry/sector-specific news and events. Even a few minutes on each platform can help you stay informed and gain new insights into opportunities. I’ve also reconnected with people in my field at conferences and local events, used my connections to seek out advice, and even received some new connections and opportunities from my contacts. It's uplifting and invigorating to feel part of a community of practitioners working towards similar goals.

4. Follow your instincts. This is a hard one for me, but I’m really believing in it. I started noticing over the past few years that my instinct of how to handle a situation or challenge was right most of the time. This happened repeatedly in work situations as well as at home (raising my daughter). I’m gaining confidence and trust in my instinct and using it more to guide my decisions.

5. Expect some downsides too. I'm a fairly optimistic person but I don't want to leave the impressions that there aren't any downsides or challenges to starting out on your own. There's the loss of employer-covered benefits (like lower cost health insurance). Work may not always be steady and timing it can also get tricky if you have overlapping projects. And you may need to promote yourself and your business (not always so easy for an introvert like me).

6. Have fun! For me, it really has been fun to start my own business and even a blog! I'm optimistic and excited about the possibilities yet to come. For now, this is what works in the current stage of my career and life. I'm looking forward to the next 6 months!