The First Step in Starting your Consulting Business

Sometimes we put so much energy around the word ‘launch’ that we actually get in our own way. Hear me out, The second we say ‘launch’ we create this imaginary checklist of all the things we have to have done in order to start bringing in revenue. This “vital checklist” prevents us from actually doing what we should to get started. So, I want to remove that connotation from ‘launch’. That way we stop getting in our own way and start getting clients. I intentionally avoid the word ‘launch’ because really, the moment you birth the idea for your consulting business is when you launch. 

What I would name as the first step in starting your business is clarity. You need to be crystal clear about the ONE problem you are solving and this takes a lot of thought and reflection. Oftentimes for us as educators, it's difficult to get clear on one problem because our profession has required and trained us to wear many hats. We have many superpowers and areas of expertise, but you need to get clear and determine the exact problem your business is solving.

Now, being able to articulate the problem is more than just saying “new teachers need training” because that's not really the problem. You need to be able to describe what the problem looks like, what it feels like, how it functions, and how it can be resolved with your services. You want 20/20 vision on the problem because that's going to give you clarity regarding who you need to talk to and the types of conversations you need to be having. Clarity will even give you talking points in some of those conversations. 

Once you're clear on the problem, you're positioned to start talking to folks to learn more about how they are experiencing the problem and how your business might help. You don't need a website. Yes, a website can be nice, but it is not necessary to get a contract. That's one of the reasons why I intentionally remove the word ‘launch’, because it allows us to create a narrative of everything we have to do before we get our first contract. You can get a contract before you share your business with the world or have a website. You just need to be clear on the problem that you're going to be solving so that you know who to talk to and what types of contracts you're looking for. Clarity is key! 

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