How to Start a Consulting Business

Over the years, in your work experience, you have probably developed some sort of expertise. Maybe it’s general business expertise, or vast knowledge of marketing, management, taxes, or financing. You could leverage this expertise to start your own consulting business, share your abilities with the world and make a good living while building a profitable company.

Starting any kind of business, however, takes a lot of work. The key is to have the knowledge you need before you start so that you avoid common mistakes. Lucky for you, this step-by-step guide lays out all you need to know and do, to put you on the road to entrepreneurial success.

Step 1: Decide if the Business Is Right for You

Starting a consulting business requires time and effort. Before you jump in, you need to fully understand what is involved before you decide if a consulting business is right for you. 

Pros and cons

Consulting industry trends

Consultants provide advice in various fields. The largest market segment is operations consultancy, followed by financial advisory consulting.((https://www.consultancy.org/consulting-industry/global)) Technology consulting is also a large and growing segment due to the increase in remote work.

Management consulting includes assistance on organizational planning, financial planning, budgeting, and marketing, according to market analyst IBISWorld.

Industry size and growth

• Industry size and past growth – The US management consulting industry is worth more than $263 billion after growing an average of 2% annually since 2017.((https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-statistics/market-size/management-consulting-united-states/))
• Growth forecast – The global consulting services market, which is dominated by US companies, is predicted to grow at least 4% annually through 2026.((https://www.reportlinker.com/p06106059/Global-Consulting-Service-Market-Growth-Trends-COVID-19-Impact-and-Forecasts.html?utm_source=GNW))
• Number of businesses – The US is home to nearly a million management consulting businesses.((https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-statistics/number-of-businesses/management-consulting-united-states/)) 
• Number of people employed – The industry employs around 2 million people.((https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-statistics/employment/management-consulting-united-states/))

Trends and challenges

Trends in the consulting services industry include:

• Rise of digital consulting
• Many companies are undergoing digital transformation 

Challenges in the consulting services industry include:

• Regulatory changes
• Highly competitive landscape

What kind of people work as consultants?

• Gender – 58% of consultants in the US are male, while 42% are female.((https://www.zippia.com/consultant-jobs/demographics/#gender-statistics))
• Average level of education – 64% of consultants hold a bachelor’s degree and 17% have a master’s degree.((https://www.zippia.com/consultant-jobs/education/))
• Average age – The average age of a consultant is 43 years old.((https://www.zippia.com/consultant-jobs/demographics/#age-statistics))

How much does it cost to start a consulting business?

Startup costs for a consulting business can range from $3,900 – $8,800. Office equipment and a website are the largest investments, so if you already have a computer you’re way ahead of the game. 

How much can you earn from a consulting business?

Your profit will vary depending on:

• How many customers you can acquire through marketing and referrals
• Your ongoing expenses, particularly if you hire employees at some point

The only expenses that you will encounter with each client are generally limited to materials you need to prepare, which should be minimal. So you should be able to achieve a profit margin of around 90%. The average hourly rate for services depends on your level of expertise and experience, with a range between $50 – $150 per hour. These calculations will put your hourly rate at $100.

In your first year or two, you might average 12 hours per week and work for 48 weeks, giving you annual revenue of around $58,000 and profit of $52,000, assuming that 90% margin. As your brand gains recognition and you begin to get referrals and repeat customers, you might work 30 hours per week and make $144,000 in annual revenue and a tidy profit of $130,000. 

What barriers to entry are there?

There are very few barriers to entry for a consulting business. Your biggest challenges will be:

• Standing out from the competition. You will need to market your expertise.
• You need to have excellent consulting skills and a specific area of expertise.

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Step 2: Hone Your Idea

Now that you know what is involved in starting a consulting business, you need to hone your idea further in order to be able to enter a new market with tough competition.

Why? Identify an opportunity

Since you will have no track record in the business, you need to find a way to make yourself stand out from the competition.

Research similar consulting businesses to examine their services, price points, and customer reviews. You’re looking for a market gap to fill. For instance, maybe the local market is missing a reliable operations consultancy. 

You might consider targeting a niche market by specializing in a certain aspect of your industry, such as budgeting or tax consulting.

This could jumpstart your word-of-mouth marketing and attract clients right away.

What? Determine your products or services

Make a list of all the types of consulting that you could do based on the opportunities that you see in the market and your breadth of knowledge. Be sure to list all of your services on your website.

How much should you charge for consulting services?

When you are just starting out, you may have to charge a lower rate until you have a track record. Consulting generally runs $50 – $150 an hour. You’ll need to make a name for yourself and show your experience and success to command a price that is at the higher end of the range.

Once you know your costs, you can use this Step By Step profit margin calculator to determine your mark-up and final price points. Remember, the prices you use at launch should be subject to change if warranted by the market.

Who? Identify your target market

Once you choose your area of expertise, search for companies in your area that could benefit from your services and reach out to them via phone and social media. You could also find business on LinkedIn and contact them there. After you get started, word of mouth referrals will be your biggest source of business.

Where? Choose your business premises

In the early stages, you can operate from home to keep costs low. But as your business grows you’ll likely hire staff and need to rent out an office. You can find commercial space to rent in your area on sites such as Craigslist, Crexi, and Instant Offices.

When choosing a commercial space, you may want to follow these rules of thumb:

• Central location accessible via public transport
• Ventilated and spacious, with good natural light
• Flexible lease that can be extended as your business grows
• Ready-to-use space with no major renovations or repairs needed

Step 3: Brainstorm a Business Name

Your business name is your business identity, so choose one that encapsulates your objectives, services, and mission in just a few words. You probably want a name that’s short and easy to remember, since much of your business, and your initial business in particular, will come from word-of-mouth referrals.

Here are some ideas for brainstorming your business name:

• Short, unique, and catchy names tend to stand out
• Names that are easy to say and spell tend to do better 
• Name should be relevant to your product or service offerings
• Ask around — family, friends, colleagues, social media — for suggestions
• Including keywords, such as “consulting” or “business services”, boosts SEO
• Name should allow for expansion, for ex: “Jim’s Bakery” over “Jim’s Cookies”
• Avoid location-based names that might hinder future expansion
• Use online tools like the Step by Step Business Name Generator. Just type in a few keywords and hit “generate” and you’ll have dozens of suggestions at your fingertips.

Once you’ve got a list of potential names, visit the website of the US Patent and Trademark Office to make sure they are available for registration and check the availability of related domain names using our Domain Name Search tool. Using “.com” or “.org” sharply increases credibility, so it’s best to focus on these. 

Finally, make your choice among the names that pass this screening and go ahead with domain registration and social media account creation. Your business name is one of the key differentiators that set your business apart. Once you pick your company name, and start with the branding, it is hard to change the business name. Therefore, it’s important to carefully consider your choice before you start a business entity.

Step 4: Create a Business Plan

Every business needs a plan. This will function as a guidebook to take your startup through the launch process and maintain focus on your key goals. A business plan also enables potential partners and investors to better understand your company and its vision:

• Executive Summary: Brief overview of the entire business plan; should be written after the plan is complete.
• Business Overview: Overview of the company, vision, mission, ownership, and corporate goals.
• Product and Services: Describe your offerings in detail.
• Market Analysis: Assess market trends such as variations in demand and prospects for growth, and do a SWOT analysis.
• Competitive Analysis: Analyze main competitors, assess their strengths and weaknesses, and create a list of the advantages of your services.
• Sales and Marketing: Examine your companies’ unique selling propositions (USPs) and develop sales, marketing, and promotional strategies.
• Management Team: Overview of management team, detailing their roles and professional background, along with a corporate hierarchy.
• Operations Plan: Your company’s operational plan includes procurement, office location, key assets and equipment, and other logistical details.
• Financial Plan: Three years of financial planning, including startup costs, break-even analysis, profit and loss estimates, cash flow, and balance sheet.
• Appendix: Include any additional financial or business-related documents.

If you’ve never created a business plan, it can be an intimidating task. You might consider hiring a business plan specialist at Fiverr to create a top-notch business plan for you.

Step 5: Register Your Business

Plus, registration is exciting because it makes the entire process official. Once it’s complete, you’ll have your own business! 

Choose where to register your company

Your business location is important because it can affect taxes, legal requirements, and revenue. Most people will register their business in the state where they live, but if you are planning to expand, you might consider looking elsewhere, as some states could offer real advantages when it comes to consulting. 

If you’re willing to move, you could really maximize your business! Keep in mind, it’s relatively easy to transfer your business to another state. 

Choose your business structure

Business entities come in several varieties, each with its pros and cons. The legal structure you choose for your consulting business will shape your taxes, personal liability, and business registration requirements, so choose wisely. 

Here are the main options:

• Sole Proprietorship – The most common structure for small businesses makes no legal distinction between company and owner. All income goes to the owner, who’s also liable for any debts, losses, or liabilities incurred by the business. The owner pays taxes on business income on his or her personal tax return.
• General Partnership – Similar to a sole proprietorship, but for two or more people. Again, owners keep the profits and are liable for losses. The partners pay taxes on their share of business income on their personal tax returns.
• Limited Liability Company (LLC) – Combines the characteristics of corporations with those of sole proprietorships or partnerships. Again, the owners are not personally liable for debts.
• C Corp – Under this structure, the business is a distinct legal entity and the owner or owners are not personally liable for its debts. Owners take profits through shareholder dividends, rather than directly. The corporation pays taxes, and owners pay taxes on their dividends, which is sometimes referred to as double taxation.
• S Corp – An S-Corporation refers to the tax classification of the business but is not a business entity. An S-Corp can be either a corporation or an LLC, which just needs to elect to be an S-Corp for tax status. In an S-Corp, income is passed through directly to shareholders, who pay taxes on their share of business income on their personal tax returns.

We recommend that new business owners choose LLC as it offers liability protection and pass-through taxation while being simpler to form than a corporation. You can form an LLC in as little as five minutes using ZenBusiness’s online LLC formation service. They will check that your business name is available before filing, submit your articles of organization, and answer any questions you might have.

Step 6: Register for Taxes

The final step before you’re able to pay taxes is getting an Employer Identification Number, or EIN. You can file for your EIN online or by mail or fax: visit the IRS website to learn more. Keep in mind, if you’ve chosen to be a sole proprietorship you can simply use your social security number as your EIN. 

Once you have your EIN, you’ll need to choose your tax year. Financially speaking, your business will operate in a calendar year (January–December) or a fiscal year, a 12-month period that can start in any month. This will determine your tax cycle, while your business structure will determine which taxes you’ll pay.

The IRS website also offers a tax-payers checklist, and taxes can be filed online.

It is important to consult an accountant or other professional to help you with your taxes to ensure you are completing them correctly.

Step 7: Fund your Business

Securing financing is your next step and there are plenty of ways to raise capital:

• Bank loans: This is the most common method but getting approved requires a rock-solid business plan and strong credit history.
• SBA-guaranteed loans: The Small Business Administration can act as guarantor, helping gain that elusive bank approval via an SBA-guaranteed loan.
• Government grants: A handful of financial assistance programs help fund entrepreneurs. Visit Grants.gov to learn which might work for you.
• Angel investors: Reach out to your entire network in search of people interested in investing in early-stage startups in exchange for a stake. Established angel investors are always looking for good opportunities. 
• Friends and Family: Reach out to friends and family to provide a business loan or investment in your concept. It’s a good idea to have legal advice when doing so because SEC regulations apply.
• Crowdfunding: Websites like Kickstarter and Indiegogo offer an increasingly popular low-risk option, in which donors fund your vision. Entrepreneurial crowdfunding sites like Fundable and WeFunder enable multiple investors to fund your business.
• Personal: Self-fund your business via your savings or the sale of property or other assets.

Bank and SBA loans are probably the best options, other than friends and family, for funding a consulting business. You might also try crowdfunding if you have an innovative concept, or angel investors if your expertise is considerable.  

Step 8: Apply for Licenses/Permits

Starting a consulting business requires obtaining a number of licenses and permits from local, state, and federal governments.

Federal regulations, licenses, and permits associated with starting your business include doing business as (DBA), health licenses and permits from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), trademarks, copyrights, patents, and other intellectual properties, as well as industry-specific licenses and permits. 

You may also need state-level and local county or city-based licenses and permits. The license requirements and how to obtain them vary, so check the websites of your state, city, and county governments or contact the appropriate person to learn more. 

You could also check this SBA guide for your state’s requirements, but we recommend using MyCorporation’s Business License Compliance Package. They will research the exact forms you need for your business and state and provide them to ensure you’re fully compliant.

If you feel overwhelmed by this step or don’t know how to begin, it might be a good idea to hire a professional to help you check all the legal boxes.

Step 9: Open a Business Bank Account

Before you start making money, you’ll need a place to keep it, and that requires opening a bank account.

Keeping your business finances separate from your personal account makes it easy to file taxes and track your company’s income, so it’s worth doing even if you’re running your consulting business as a sole proprietorship. Opening a business bank account is quite simple, and similar to opening a personal one. Most major banks offer accounts tailored for businesses — just inquire at your preferred bank to learn about their rates and features.

Banks vary in terms of offerings, so it’s a good idea to examine your options and select the best plan for you. Once you choose your bank, bring in your EIN (or Social Security Number if you decide on a sole proprietorship), articles of incorporation, and other legal documents and open your new account.

Step 10: Get Business Insurance

Business insurance is an area that often gets overlooked yet it can be vital to your success as an entrepreneur. Insurance protects you from unexpected events that can have a devastating impact on your business.

Here are some types of insurance to consider:

• General liability: The most comprehensive type of insurance, acting as a catch-all for many business elements that require coverage. If you get just one kind of insurance, this is it. It even protects against bodily injury and property damage.
• Business Property: Provides coverage for your equipment and supplies.
• Equipment Breakdown Insurance: Covers the cost of replacing or repairing equipment that has broken due to mechanical issues.
• Worker’s compensation: Provides compensation to employees injured on the job.
• Property: Covers your physical space, whether it is a cart, storefront, or office.
• Commercial auto: Protection for your company-owned vehicle.
• Professional liability: Protects against claims from a client who says they suffered a loss due to an error or omission in your work.
• Business owner’s policy (BOP): This is an insurance plan that acts as an all-in-one insurance policy, a combination of the above insurance types.

Step 11: Prepare to Launch

As opening day nears, prepare for launch by reviewing and improving some key elements of your business. 

Essential software and tools

Being an entrepreneur often means wearing many hats, from marketing to sales to accounting, which can be overwhelming. Fortunately, many websites and digital tools are available to help simplify many business tasks.  

You may want to use enterprise resource planning solution Netsuite, online workspace Bitrix24, and project management software CONREP to manage your day-to-day operations such as customer relations, accounting, HR, and others. 

Accounting

• Popular web-based accounting programs for smaller businesses include Quickbooks, Freshbooks, and Xero. 
• If you’re unfamiliar with basic accounting, you may want to hire a professional, especially as you begin. The consequences for filing incorrect tax documents can be harsh, so accuracy is crucial.

Marketing

Some of your business will come from online visitors, but you should still invest in digital marketing! Getting the word out is especially important for new businesses, as it’ll boost customer and brand awareness. 

Once your website is up and running, link it to your social media accounts and vice versa. Social media is a great tool for promoting your business because you can create engaging posts that advertise your products: 

• Facebook: Great platform for paid advertising, allows you to target specific demographics, like men under age 50 in the Cleveland area. 
• Instagram: Same benefits as Facebook but with different target audiences.
• Website: SEO will help your website appear closer to the top in relevant search results, a crucial element for increasing sales. Make sure that you optimize calls to action on your website. Experiment with text, color, size, and position of calls to action such as “Call Now”. This can sharply increase the number of clients.
• Google and Yelp: For businesses that rely on local clientele, getting listed on Yelp and Google My Business can be crucial to generating awareness and customers.

Kickstart Marketing

Take advantage of your website, social media presence and real-life activities to increase awareness of your offerings and build your brand. Some suggestions include: 

• Signage – Put up eye-catching signage at your store and website. 
• Sponsor events – You can pay to be a sponsor at events that are relevant to your target market.
• Post a video – Post a video about your consulting services. Use humor and maybe it will go viral!
• Email marketing/newsletter – Send regular emails to customers and prospects. Make them personal. 
• Start a blog – Start a blog and post regularly. Change up your content and share on multiple sites.
• Seek out referrals – Offer incentives to generate customer referrals to new clients. 
• Paid ads on social media – Choose sites that will reach your target market and do targeted ads.
• Do a webinar – Share your expertise online with a video seminar.
• Testimonials – Share customer testimonials about how your consulting services helped them.
• Create infographics – Post infographics and include them in your content.

Develop your website

Website development is crucial because your site is your online presence and needs to convince prospective clients of your expertise and professionalism. They are unlikely to find your website, however, unless you follow Search Engine Optimization (SEO) practices. These are steps that help pages rank higher in the results of top search engines like Google. 

You can create your own website using services like WordPress, Wix, or Squarespace. This route is very affordable, but figuring out how to build a website can be time-consuming. If you lack tech-savvy, you can hire a web designer or developer to create a custom website for your business.

Focus on USPs

Unique selling propositions, or USPs, are the characteristics of a product or service that set it apart from the competition. Customers today are inundated with buying options, so you’ll have a real advantage if they are able to quickly grasp how your consulting meets their needs or wishes. It’s wise to do all you can to ensure your USPs stand out on your website and in your marketing and promotional materials, stimulating buyer desire. 

Global pizza chain Domino’s is renowned for its USP: “Hot pizza in 30 minutes or less, guaranteed.” Signature USPs for your consulting business could be: 

• Boost efficiency with our innovative operations guidance
• You won’t believe your finances!
• Improve remote work with better tech and IT 

Networking

You may not like to network or use personal connections for business gain. But your personal and professional networks likely offer considerable untapped business potential. Maybe that Facebook friend you met in college is now running a consulting business, or a LinkedIn contact of yours is connected to dozens of potential clients. Maybe your cousin or neighbor has been providing consulting services for years and can offer invaluable insight and industry connections. 

The possibilities are endless, so it’s a good idea to review your personal and professional networks and reach out to those with possible links to or interest in consulting. You’ll probably generate new customers or find companies with which you could establish a partnership. Online businesses might also consider affiliate marketing as a way to build relationships with potential partners and boost business. 

Step 12: Build Your Team

You may not need to hire any employees if you are starting out small from a home-based office. However, as your business grows, you may need to recruit full-time employees for various job roles. The potential employees for a consulting business include:

• General Manager 
• Consultants 
• Marketing Lead 

At some point, you may need to hire all of these positions or simply a few, depending on the size and needs of your business. You might also hire multiple workers for a single role or a single worker for multiple roles, again depending on need. 

Free-of-charge methods to recruit employees include posting ads on popular platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook, or Jobs.com. You might also consider a premium recruitment option, such as advertising on Indeed, Glassdoor, or ZipRecruiter. Further, if you have the resources, you could consider hiring a recruitment agency to help you find talent.

Step 13: Start Making Money!

Market analyst IBISWorld says a potential increase in corporate profits in the years ahead presents opportunities for the consulting industry. When corporate profits improve, businesses tend to hire consultants to find new revenue streams and identify areas where they can invest their excess cash. Even when profits are down, some consultants are still able to land lucrative contracts with clients seeking to improve their profit margins. Either way, it’s important for you to build a good business reputation first.

You’ve now got all the business knowledge you need to get started, so it’s time to get out there and start consulting your way to success.