The Steps to Become a Leadership Consultant

By: Dave Newell

Do you want to become a full-time entrepreneur and run your own consulting company? 

When I started my consulting business (more than 10 years ago now), I knew I eventually wanted to work for myself and my clients full time. But I had no idea, no clear path, how to get there. I needed support. I needed something just like our 5Facets Fractional Leader Academy. 

Our 5Facets Fractional Leader Academy can take you from ideation to execution. From always talking about starting your own business to bringing in serious revenue from clients.

As you weigh your options (there are a lot of coaching programs out there), these are the steps I recommend you take in order to become a leadership consultant who runs their own business.

Step 1: Gain Relevant Experience and Knowledge

Develop Leadership Skills: Start by gaining practical leadership experience in your current role. Take on leadership responsibilities, manage teams, and lead projects to build a solid foundation.

Educational Background: Pursue degrees in business, management, psychology, or related fields. Advanced degrees like an MBA or a master’s in organizational psychology can be advantageous, but nothing can replace actual experience.

Certifications: Obtain certifications in leadership and management from reputable institutions. Certifications like Certified Professional in Learning and Performance (CPLP) or Certified Management Consultant (CMC) can add credibility to your profile.

Step 2: Build a Strong Professional Network

Networking: Attend industry conferences, join professional associations, volunteer in your community, and participate in local business events. Through networking you’ll build connections with potential clients and other consultants.

Online Presence: Establish a strong online presence through LinkedIn and other professional platforms. Share insightful, thoughtful content on leadership to position yourself as an expert. (You can see my LinkedIn profile here for inspiration.) I try to inform and teach more than I ask or promote my own offerings.

Step 3: Develop your Niche and Business Plan

Identify Your Niche: You are a unique individual with your own set of strengths and skills. Determine which aspects of leadership you are most passionate about and skilled in such as executive coaching, team building, or change management. Your passion for what you do will keep you motivated and your clients will notice.

Target Market: Decide which industries or types of organizations you want to serve. Specializing in a niche market can help you tailor your services and stand out. Here at Evolve Leadership Consulting we work with small to medium sized businesses who are a bit stuck and we leverage operational excellence consulting to equip our clients to resolve seen and unseen issues in their organization. We’ve honed in on this niche over time, so don’t worry if you’re not 100% certain of your niche right off the bat.

Business Plan: Clearly outline your consulting services, methodology, and expected outcomes for clients. Decide on your business structure (sole proprietorship, LLC, etc.) and register your business. And, perhaps most importantly, make sure your business makes you enough money to support you and your family’s needs.

Step 4: Gain Practical Experience and Build Your Brand

Pro Bono Work: Offer consulting services for free or at a reduced rate to non-profits, small businesses, or friends. This helps you gain experience, build your portfolio, and gather testimonials.

Part-Time Consulting: Start consulting part-time on the side while still employed to build your client base and reputation without financial pressure.

Marketing Strategy: Develop a professional website and engage in content marketing by producing high-quality blog posts, white papers, and e-books. Utilize social media to promote your content and engage with your audience.

Step 5: Deliver Exceptional Service and Scale Your Business

Client Focus: Each of your clients will present you with their own unique needs and challenges. Stay as far away as possible from boiler plate language solutions. One size does NOT fit all. Instead provide your clients with custom solutions and solicit their feedback to continuously improve your services.

Public Speaking and Publications: Seek out public speaking opportunities and write articles for industry publications to increase your visibility and credibility as a leadership consultant.

Expand Your Services: As you gain experience, consider expanding your service offerings to include additional areas like executive coaching or organizational development consulting. If your business grows significantly, consider hiring other consultants or support staff.

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When you lead a business, major projects, or are pushing the company forward, you carry the pressures and the weight of decisions that influence the well-being of your business, your team, and yourself. It’s a lot to carry, and too many leaders carry this weight alone. 

You need reliable partners with unbiased perspectives to support you.

Follow the five steps I’ve outlined above and apply to the 5Facets Fractional Leader Academy today in order build your own successful leadership consulting business that makes a meaningful impact on the leaders and organizations you serve!