Business Entrepreneurship Career Development

From Corporate to Consultant (Summary)

by Ron Antosko

You're sitting in a meeting, thinking your contribution is just 'part of the job.' But what if that specific skillā€”the one you take for grantedā€”is the very thing another company would pay you $200 an hour for? The biggest obstacle to becoming a successful consultant isn't a lack of clients; it's failing to recognize the high-value expertise you already possess.

Your Expertise is a Product, Not Just Your Time

Instead of selling hours, successful consultants package their knowledge into repeatable, scalable offerings with clear outcomes and fixed prices. This strategy breaks the 'time for money' trap and allows you to earn based on the value you create, not the hours you work.

A marketing consultant, rather than charging by the hour, could offer a '$5,000 Lead-Gen Engine' package. This fixed-price product includes a specific set of deliverables: a 90-day content plan, three optimized landing pages, and an email sequence template. The client knows exactly what they're getting, and the consultant's income isn't tied to the clock.

Don't Be a Generalist; Be a Specialist

Trying to serve everyone makes you the expert for no one. The key to charging premium rates and attracting ideal clients is to narrow your focus to a specific industry, problem, or type of customer, establishing yourself as the go-to authority in that niche.

Instead of being a generic 'IT consultant,' you could specialize as an 'IT security consultant for dental practices with 1-10 employees.' This sharp focus makes you the obvious choice for that specific market, allowing you to dominate it and command higher fees than a generalist.

Your First Client Is Closer Than You Think

Many aspiring consultants believe they need a complex marketing funnel to find clients. In reality, their first paying customer is often a former colleague, boss, or a vendor they worked with in their corporate job. Leveraging your existing network is the fastest path to your first project.

An HR manager leaving her corporate role can reach out to a contact at a supplier company she used to work with and say, 'I'm now independently helping companies of your size streamline their onboarding process. Given our past work together, I thought of you first.' This warm lead is far more effective than a cold email campaign.

The Proposal is the Sale

A powerful proposal doesn't just list prices; it's a closing tool. It should diagnose the client's problem, restate their goals in their own words, outline your specific value, and present clear options that make it easy for them to say 'yes'.

Instead of a one-page document with a single price, a strong proposal might offer three tiers: a 'Bronze' option for a diagnostic report, a 'Silver' option that includes implementation of key recommendations, and a 'Gold' option with ongoing support. This 'good, better, best' model frames the choice around value, not just cost.

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