More and more people are going remote or independent in work. Technology, budget cuts, the need for a more project- or capability-specific roles in our workforce are fueling this trend, and it will likely continue. I don’t know if it’s just me and my age bracket, but it also seems as though no one is happy at work anymore. I know only a handful of people who have true job satisfaction. Most of them are self-employed.

It’s a big leap to go from working for an organization to going independent. I remember when I was in college, someone once told me that everyone should try freelance at some point in their lives. That comment always intrigued me, as another life level and milestone I needed to hit.

When I left my job in May, I immediately filed for an LLC to start my own consulting practice. My plan was to work on strategy projects and help startups create and deliver on their growth strategies.

Here are a couple of things I am learning along the way.

1. Be as specific as you can be about your services – what is the value and ROI you can promise to your client? Terms “business strategy” and “management consulting” type services are amorphous to most of the business population. It’s more compelling to be a specialist in turnarounds, SEO, leading SAP implementations, etc. Those are specific types of initiatives that companies have. Of course, you may want to cast a wider net, in which case
2. Be smart about your target market – as an independent consultant, your time is limited, and you want to maximize your earnings (which can come as a mixture money, learning, or spirit). Where do you want to invest your time? What do you want to get out of these engagements? Is it just money, or is it also to develop your expertise for possible future ventures? Which markets value your skills? I had to learn this the hard way.
3. Startups typically don’t have strategy roles, and many don’t have budget for non-operational or directly revenue-generating roles. My urge for a while was to work with startups, and honestly, I have had limited success in this area. Companies that need consultants are often non-sexy companies that are solid growth businesses who have difficulty attracting talent.
4. Do your research and become smart on an industry or a capability – have lots of informational meetings, not just to learn about what types of opportunities are out there but to collect case studies and learn the inner workings of a company.
5. Take on a pro bono project (very selectively!) to learn about an industry and get the client referral – I did this with fashion. It was a passion project and an incredible crash course in every aspect of running a line.
6. Your network is important (duh) – I recently relocated to LA, and I’m now starting from the ground up. Be selective though – don’t burn people out. I’m navigating on my own and making my own contacts and waiting to ask for specific help until I know what types of projects I want and have the confidence to deliver.
7. Be careful in doing business with friends so that it doesn’t interfere with friendship. It’s even more important to have a solid contract with terms spelled out in writing. Don’t just take on a project you might not want because it’s a friend.

Lastly, freedom and flexibility is in itself a gift, but going independent has been difficult for me – standing on my own feet instead of behind a large organization. Just because you were a rock star corporate employee doesn’t mean projects are just going to land in your lap. You have to hustle and prove yourself in different ways than justifying headcount in a budget. You have to learn to start asking for things on behalf of yourself rather than for organizational ends. I’m personally not used to doing that. It’s exciting, uncharted, and definitely developing new sides of my personality.