By: Lindsay Angelo, Strategy and Foresight Consultant, MBA, TEDx Speaker
Interested in becoming an independent consultant? You've come to the right place!
In this article, we'll walk you through the ins and outs of the career path from the perspective of a Fortune 500 consultant. We'll cover everything from the consulting landscape to the role of a Consultant, to how to build your skills and credentials, including certification programs and non-traditional training programs. Our aim is to help you on your journey to becoming a successful and sought-after Consultant in your chosen field.
Let's dive in!
Understanding the Consulting Landscape
Being a business consultant in today's world comes with a plethora of exciting advantages, and can make for a fantastic career choice.
Why, you might ask?
First and foremost, the gig economy is thriving, and it's changing the way people work. Traditional 9-to-5 jobs are being eclipsed as individuals embrace freelancing and consulting as a lifestyle.
Moreover, remote work has become the new norm in a post-COVID world. Technology has revolutionized the way we connect and collaborate, making it possible to work with colleagues and ideal clients all over the world and in any business environment without being tied to a physical office.
This shift in the job market provides you with a unique opportunity to explore a wide range of projects and industries, allowing you to tap into your passion and expertise—all while enjoying the flexibility of choosing your working hours and environment.
The desire for fulfillment, freedom, and flexibility in careers is a driving force for many individuals, especially those seeking purpose in their work. As an experienced business consultant, you have the autonomy to choose projects that align with your values and interests while designing your own schedule. This means you are driving your own professional development and can explore areas or a specific job role that truly excites you.
Embracing business consulting allows you to sculpt your own path and be in control of your professional destiny. You get to decide which industries to work in, which clients to collaborate with, and even the extent of your workload.
What Does An Independent Consultant Do?
Lindsay Angelo, Strategy Consultant, MBA, TEDx Speaker
Simply put, an independent consultant is someone who has their own consulting business and offers their expertise and knowledge to organizations without being tied to a specific company. Independent Consulting offers the opportunity to take on exciting projects, collaborate with various client organizations and potential clients, address complex business concerns, improve business performance, and make a real impact.
To thrive in the field of independent consulting, strategic thinking is a must. You need to be able to identify opportunities and create effective solutions for your clients, leveraging your specialized skills. You also need to solve complex problems, often in a condensed timeframe, which is where strategic thinking and problem-solving come into play.
When crafting your services and choosing which niche(s) to focus on, consider your professional experience—what sort of work have you done?
What types of companies have you worked for? Private entities? Public Corporations? Government agencies?
On a personal level, think about what truly excites you. That passion will translate to creating positive and meaningful relationships with clients, which normally drives client and customer satisfaction. For example, maybe you have deep management knowledge and expertise or experience in organizational development, strategy, brand strategy, industry trends, or content marketing. Or perhaps you're a technology wizard with a keen eye for business analysis and project management experience.
As a Consultant, you can leverage your unique expertise to craft your service offerings. Learn more about what independent consultants do here.
Benefits of Becoming an Independent Consultant
As mentioned, being an independent consultant means you'll enjoy flexibility and independence in your work schedule. No more punching in and out of the office clock!
You can choose projects that align with your knowledge base, technical skills, interests, and values, and even drop into some well-deserved down time when you need it.
Consulting is fundamentally about sharing your expertise and making a difference. You have a unique opportunity to guide business owners, business leaders and client organizations towards success through the consulting services you deliver. Your input can be invaluable in shaping their business strategies, business models and tactics!
The question is…whether you need professional certification to become an independent consultant.
So, Is There A Need To Become "Certified" as a Business Consultant?
The short answer is no. You don't need to be a "Certified Consultant" to be successful in Consulting. There's no strict education requirement or formal certificate necessary to kickstart your independent consulting journey. While degrees and certifications can be helpful, what truly matters is the practical experience and advanced knowledge you bring to the table. These aspects are what truly speak volumes about your level of expertise.
Can an education program or school diploma—BA, MBA; or experience working with a big Consultancy help? Absolutely. But they are not pre-requisites—there are other paths to Consulting, including select online courses and non-traditional programs.
Do your research and choose what aligns with your consulting career aspirations. Receiving training from an experienced Business Consultant can be beneficial to delivering the edge you need to ignite your consulting venture and build your skills.
In fact, we created Permissionless Consultant to train professionals just like you on how to create an Independent Consulting venture from scratch.
Where to Build your Consulting Skills and Expertise
To build up your consulting expertise, you have a couple of options: you can either look for professional consultant certifications (traditional) or opt for non-traditional consulting programs that also teach the business side (i.e. how to launch your very own consultancy).
A) Consultant Certification
A Consultant Certification is a formal recognition or certification credential that builds your consulting skills. This is usually obtained through a structured training program delivered by an institute and can add credibility to your profile. Sometimes, these programs include certification exams and exam fees.
Some Consultants also pursue more specific certifications in fields like Project Management, Financial Analysis, Business Analysis, Marketing Consulting, Human Resources, Financial Management, Organizational Development, or Human Resources Consulting. While a business consultant certificate can be valuable, it can require a significant time commitment, pre - requisites, and financial investment and fail to teach the business side of Consulting—i.e. they don't teach you the ins and outs of starting up your own Consultancy. If your goal is to work for another Consultancy, that’s one thing. However, if your goal is to work for yourself—to start up your OWN consultancy - you'll want to explore option B below.
B) Independent Consultant Training/Coaching
If your goal is to launch your very own consultancy, you may consider enrolling in a training program taught by a seasoned Consultant who's walked the path. We created the Permissionless Consultant Accelerator for that very reason. The only program of its kind, Permissionless Consultant is a modern accelerator that delivers a proven step-by-step system for launching your own consultancy. It focuses on not only consulting skills but practical tools and entrepreneurial skills that teach you how to navigate the world of independent consulting, whether your goal is to develop a side hustle or a full time consultancy. The program is designed to be flexible, so you can fit it into your schedule.
You can learn more about the program and sign up for your free info session here. We also offer a Futurist specialty track, so if sniffing out the next best trend lights you up, this could be for you.
The beauty of being a Consultant is that you can specialize in whatever you have experience in and are passionate about, whether you're a Futurist Consultant, Training Consultant, Technology Consultant, Business Process Consultant, Management Consultant, Financial Consultant, Business Intelligence Consultant, or Product Development Consultant, Permissionless Consultant welcomes all niches. If you’re looking to drive both profit AND impact, consider this an invitation.
Leadership Development and Continuous Learning are Key To Becoming a Successful Consultant
Ultimately, becoming a consultant requires expertise, fairly extensive knowledge in your field, and some form of training, but it doesn't necessarily need to be a formal certificate or business consultant certification. In fact, in today's DIY age, practical learning is eclipsing formal consulting certifications, degree programs, and graduate degrees. Whichever path you choose, embrace your unique journey. Staying curious and open to new opportunities will make you stand out in the consulting arena.
The possibilities are endless, and we're here to support you every step of the way.
Want to dive in? Pre-enroll in our accelerator today!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
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As a Consultant, your superpower lies in your critical thinking and strategic problem-solving skills. It is the gold standard! Clients will rely on your expertise and practical knowledge. This type of thinking will allow you to tackle complex issues and make business decisions that have direct impact on client projects. Whether they have a general direction or need you to kickstart the discussion, your strategy skills—especially your problem-solving skills will be in high demand. To excel in problem-solving, it's crucial to grasp the MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive) framework and issue trees.
Learn more about MECE framework and issue trees here. Looking for a more immersive experience? Enroll in our Strategic Thinking Masterclass now.
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At the end of the day, what truly matters in consulting is client satisfaction and driving positive impact. Your strategic thinking, analytical skills, interpersonal skills, business communication skills, business analysis, project management, business acumen and soft skills are critical.
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A Futurist Consultant researches and delivers foresight on the future. Read more on what Futurist is here and how to become a Futurist here.
Have an interest in becoming a Futurist yourself? Pre-enroll in our Futurist-in-50-Days program here.
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Determining Consulting rates depends on several factors, including your expertise, market demand, industry standards, and the value you provide to consulting clients, potential clients or potential customers. Research the market rates for Consultants in your field, consider your experience and unique offerings, and assess the specific needs and budget of your target clients when setting your rates. Learn more about setting your rates here.
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The Consultant Accelerator is suitable for individuals aspiring to become business consultants, such as corporate professionals, institutional asset managers, entrepreneurs, senior managers, project managers, current freelancers and advisors and those interested in exploring a new career option. The Accelerator caters to individuals from various backgrounds and experience levels, offering the expert perspective. Keen to venture into business consulting? Consider it a first stop!
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The Permissionless Consultant training program will discuss everything you need to build your Consultancy from scratch. This includes business fundamentals, consulting frameworks, skills training and consultant frameworks, how to position your services to attract your ideal avatar, proposal writing, acquiring clients, and more. Whether you're from a banking industry or insurance company, or you're a project management professional, an expert in risk management or employee productivity, or even an International Accredited Business Accountant—you can obtain the knowledge and strategies to build a successful consulting business.
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Read more here on how to become an Independent Consultant.
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It depends but normally, yes. It's essential to check the specific regulations and requirements in your city, state, or country to determine what you need.
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The world is your oyster when it comes to positioning yourself as a consultant. There are many types across all niches—strategy consultants, business futures consultants, management consultants, project management consultants, education consultants, leasing consultants, international development consultants, IT consultants, business intelligence consultants, business info consultant, client relationship management, portfolio management consultants, and people strategy consultants. You may also have expertise in risk management, healthcare software and technology, business development process, investment management, or business psychology.
Some refer to themselves as Consultants, others will call themselves an Independent Contractor. Consultants exist in every niche—you can even create your own niche if you wish.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lindsay Angelo is the founder of Permissionless Consultant, supporting purpose-preneurs in launching their practices to create impact, freedom, and a life they love.
She's also a practicing and award-winning Strategist, Futurist, MBA, and TEDx speaker. She launched her foresight and business strategy consulting firm six years ago with the goal of helping purpose-driven brands and business owners drive growth and impact.
Since then, she's more than tripled her prior earnings while advising entrepreneurs, think tanks, celebrities, and Fortune 500 companies—all the while creating a nomadic lifestyle rooted in travel, family, and community.
Named a Woman to Watch and Global Innovation Leader, Lindsay has delivered over 100+ keynotes and is the creator of a signature blueprint for driving brand growth and impact.
A born entrepreneur, former NCAA athlete, and wellness warrior, she sits on the Advisory Board for World Business Research. She contributes to a variety of media houses, including CBS, The Globe and Mail, Retail Executive, and the National Post. She believes magic happens where logic meets intuition, where the rational meets the emotive, and where facts meet insights.
