How and Where to Get Training to Become and Think Like a Seasoned Consultant in Your Niche
Because running our 1-man consulting practice on the side requires us to start somewhere
Maybe you have decided to hustle as a consultant on the side. Or it may be your dream to run a 1-man consulting practice one day.
Forget maybe. You decided to learn the ropes of running a consulting business now. And so, you turn to the trusty internet to look for viable pathways for professional development.
The only problem? There isn’t any.
There are no definitive certifications or credentials we must get to be knighted as a consultant. Our experience and exposure are a guide, and our niche determines how we can excel as one.
Where Do We Start Our Consulting Journey?
The straightforward answer comprises 2 words. They are profession and impression.
I will begin with the word profession. First, a consulting hustle on the side requires a professional base. What you do today or what you inspire to do in the future anchors your 1-man consulting practice.
You cannot say the following.
“I want to be a consultant.”
No, no, no. That is inadequate. Instead, you need to add one word in front of consultant. Take, for instance, the following examples.
“I want to be a financial consultant.”
“I want to be a technology consultant.”
“I want to be a marketing consultant.”
You are getting closer to becoming a consultant on the side. Start by focusing on the word before consultant. It points you to a list of professional training you must consider before Day 1 of your consulting practice.
Using Technology Consultant as an Example
Let us assume that you want to be a technology consultant.
This title covers a wide spectrum. You can be a Blockchain consultant, Non-Fungible Token (NFT) consultant, E-Commerce consultant, or Digital Transformation consultant. The list is endless.
You need to choose the niche (Read: specialty) of your 1-man consulting practice. Having clarity in branding means you get the right customers seeking your services.
Now, search for short-duration courses that map directly to the services you intend to offer. These are possible examples you can explore.
- Stanford Online.
- UC Berkeley Certificate Program.
- MIT Digital Transformation and Business Strategy.
So on and so forth.
These academic courses supercharge your understanding of the industry needs and trends. Don’t forget that you get to network with people tasked to lead technology initiatives in their companies. They can be your future customers.
Next, you may want to consider professional development courses. This is a list I recommend to future technology consultants.
- Project Management Professional (PMP) — For project delivery and implementation.
- Certified Business Analyst Professional (CBAP) — To better understand how to analyze a business in the context of innovation advancement.
- All Agile-related professional development — To understand and consult clients who want to leverage Agile principles to respond to market changes as they come.
As again, I cannot provide the entire list for your consideration. But you get the idea. Once you decide on your consulting niche, go for the foundational knowledge + skillsets. They will help get customers and secure future contracts.
Let Us Leave Profession Behind. Time to Focus on Impression.
What do you think of immediately when the word consultant comes to your mind? I can think of the following.
- Highly conversant and articulate.
- Super networker.
- Problem solver.
- Knowledgeable.
- Highly competent in reading the room and body language.
Consulting is a service-based business. It is about people. Therefore, understanding how people work and tick drives revenue.
Can you imagine working with a consultant you cannot relate to? I cannot. In fact, no customers do.
“When we understand people; when we understand situations; when we understand what matters; when we understand the why’s, the what’s and the how’s; when we understand the trigger of actions.”
And so, our ability to connect with the person standing in front of us is, in my opinion, the skill set we must have. Business communication 101 is a mandatory professional development course for all aspiring consultants on the side.
It is impossible to recommend specific courses for business communication skills because every country has different sets of cultural norms we operate by. Therefore, I will focus on technique-based courses here.
- Business Storytelling — Let customers understand the benefits of having us beside them in their professional journey.
- Negotiation Tactics — Learn how to get what we want without offending our customers.
- Deal Pitching — How to present an irresistible offer to our customers so they will say Yes.
These are impression-based professional development courses that require a classroom-based practicum. Reading is insufficient. Here’s why.
We need to practice in a social setting. Peer review finetunes our messaging, tonality, and close. Our confidence goes up several notches before speaking to customers.
A brilliant communicator is sensitive and responsive to the ebbs and flows of emotions of people around them. The same applies to consultants of all niches.
And on top of that, the consultant that gives a strong positive first impression will outcompete the competition.
Be articulate. And always know what you are talking about.
In Conclusion
It takes years to set up and run a 1-man consulting practice on the side.
It is the same with leadership development. You cannot become a leader just because you got certified in leadership. Active practicum, in-profession exposure, and continuous learning are our daily to-do.
That means we must be up to date with the professional niche we consult and be able to project a positive first impression when we are out meeting customers.
When we carry ourselves like a consultant, people will see us as one. That is when they start approaching us for work.
All the time.
Other Stories To Help You Grow Your Consultant Side-Hustle:
On starting and scaling your Consulting Practice.
On building credentials.
On the toolbox you need.
On pricing strategies.
As a content contributor, I write my observations from daily life and my business exposure. Because our life experience is the bedrock of our unique perspectives.
