Written by Samantha Royle, Marketing & Events Specialist
I thought being a consultant would mean freedom. No office politics. No performance reviews. Just doing great work, my way.
What I didn’t expect? Working a weird amount of events and crosstown meetings in the rain, being broke half the time, and negotiating rates with people who thought “exposure” was a form of currency.
Don’t get me wrong—starting my own business and working as a consultant was one of the most rewarding moves of my career. I got to work on legacy projects, learn fast, and build a flexible schedule during a major life transition.
But it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. I wish I’d gone in with more realistic expectations—and maybe an umbrella.
Here are 5 things I wish I knew before becoming a consultant:
1. Do you actually want to be your own boss? (And do you really like working alone?)
Yes, being your own boss sounds cool. You get to make the rules, wear sweatpants, and take meetings from your couch. But here’s the kicker: you also get to manage your time, be accountable to clients, and spend a lot of your workday alone.
I’m a severe extrovert. I missed office banter, hallway brainstorms, and people who would laugh at my jokes in real time. I had to make an effort to socialize outside of work just to stay grounded.
So before you jump in, ask yourself: Do I actually like being alone all day? Can I keep myself accountable without a boss?
If the answer is “ugh, maybe not,” it doesn’t mean you can’t consult—but it does mean you’ll need systems (and maybe a co-working membership).
2. Protect your personal time. Seriously.
Just because you can work all night doesn’t mean you should.
One of the worst things I did when I started consulting was being “always on.” I worked at all hours. I answered emails during dinner. I took meetings on my day off—because I was afraid to say no.
Spoiler alert: this leads to burnout. And resentment. And your group chat dragging you for missing another night out.
Here’s what helped me:
- Set clear working hours in your contracts
- Define guaranteed response times (i.e. “I’ll respond within 48 hours”)
- Silence your notifications after 6PM
- For truly urgent after-hours work? Charge a premium. (Put it in the contract!)
Consulting is about relationships—and it’s hard to show up with good energy when you’re running on fumes because someone emailed you “quick feedback” at 10:47 PM.
3. Your time is valuable—bill like it
Say it with me: YOUR. TIME. IS. VALUABLE.
I undercharged for way too long because I was just grateful to be hired. I told myself I needed more experience. I felt weird about asking for more. But honestly? The best advice I’ve ever gotten was: “They can only say no.”
Ask for what you’re worth. Charge for your time and your value. The worst they can do is negotiate. The best? You stop eating Beefaroni for dinner four nights a week.
Also—hourly billing isn’t always your best friend. Consider retainers or project-based pricing. It gives you (and your client) more clarity, and means you’re not constantly tracking every half hour like it’s billable Tetris.
4. Can your clients actually afford your rate?
Because good vibes don’t pay your bills.
Even when I finally figured out what I should be charging, I ran into another problem—some of my dream clients couldn’t afford me.
Consultants don’t get paid for everything. You won’t bill for admin time, proposals, chasing invoices, or re-reading emails 40 times to make sure they sound polite. These tasks can take up 20%+ of your time.
So you need to build that into your rate.
Example math:
- You want to take home $3,960/month
- At a 20.8% tax rate, you need to earn $5,000/month before tax
- With 4.35 weeks in a month and 40-hour workweeks, that’s 174 hours/month
- If only 80% of that is billable → 139 hours
- To cover costs and taxes, you need to charge about $36/hour (before expenses)
And this doesn’t include software, a co-working membership, subscriptions, or your coffee habit (You’ll at least be adding $5 per hour). So make sure your rate makes sense—for you and your market. If it doesn’t, something’s gotta give.
5. It takes time to build a client base
So yes, you need money saved. Or at least a backup plan.
When I left my 9–5, I thought clients would just… show up. To be fair, I did have people reach out. But it wasn’t full-time work. It wasn’t even half-time work.
So there I was: networking, cold emailing, delighting the few clients I had, and working nights waitressing to make ends meet. It wasn’t glamorous—but it paid the bills until consulting got more consistent.
Some people get lucky fast. Most don’t. Be financially ready for slow months. If you can, have savings—or something stable on the side—while you build.
Final thought: consulting is amazing—but it’s not magic
It gave me freedom, confidence, and a whole new appreciation for contracts. But it also taught me that passion isn’t a business plan—and burnout doesn’t earn you any bonus points.
If you’re thinking about becoming a consultant, go in with your eyes open. Build the plan, ask the awkward questions, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
There are great resources out there—like Business Link. Their advisors can help you with the “boring” but essential stuff: taxes, planning, insurance, and making your business legit. Book a free 1-on-1 session. You don’t have to figure it all out alone.
