There are several reasons why a professional decides to become a consultant / advisor. Being independent, earning more money, working less time, or at least having a little more flexibility (and not having to send a memo to the Pope to take half a day to go to the doctor) are some of them. If you are a consultant / advisor or you are considering it, surely you can think of others.
But honestly, there is another “force majeure” reason why many professionals have decided to go down that path: their experience in the company in which they currently work is no longer valued. Is this your case? You are definitely not alone…
In times of crisis, where the economy is tight and companies are reluctant to disappear and / or lower their profit margins, it is very common that one of their extreme resources is to think about restructuring and with them, many times come unlinkings or professionals with a high level of experience are left out(This nice resource - in case it is not well understood I am being ironic - it is ideal for companies that are not willing to disassociate someone, so they put it somewhere like a decorative vase. Don't get me wrong, I understand that this may be better than “Patitas ya la calle” but if you put yourself in the place of someone with 20 years of experience (sometimes a life dedicated to the company), I don't think that ending your career as a decorative plant is what you had in mind in your plan race.
Paragraph aside (because being a sensitive subject it is better to clarify everything) this does not mean that anyone who has 20 years of experience simply has his place bought and must wait for the company to do everything for him (which is a company, not a charity). The world changes, and you have to adapt, improve, be at the forefront and move every day. This does not only happen to employees, 100% is also a need for freelancers. Just in case.
Taking up again, many collaborators consider, based on this forced situation or in anticipation of it, to make a more strategic decision and not to look for a job in another company but to open their own business.
Is this your case? Have you been recently detached and have you decided (or are you seriously considering) to make the decision to become independent and take a step forward in the world of professional business?
They have not disconnected you but you feel that you have been working for others for too many years and that it is time to take a step towards your own business?
Are you thinking "all these years of experience and my knowledge must be worth a lot" but you have no idea where to start making it worth?
For you is this article today.
Especially when you have a long history, a lot of experience in the field or in providing certain types of services, this idea becomes a real opportunity not only to become independent and start your own project, but also many times to cover needs in the market that are neglected. by large companies.
Here the main key, then: what to do to start a professional business based on your experience and your career? These are the 3 main strategies that you should consider:
Strategy # 1 - Choose a niche market in which to specialize
The first step is always an important decision, although often omitted. But this is where the greatest specialization that an entrepreneur can offer will be, and it will become a competitive advantage over what large companies may be offering.
Some questions that will help you define your niche market are:
- Who benefits most from me (from my services, my knowledge, my experience)? Who most urgently needs what I have to give? What type of people / clients do I have the most experience with and whom will I best serve based on this?
Strategy # 2 - Find an urgent and important need to solve in your niche market
This step is essential for the business to exist and be profitable. If you offer a fantastic service but it is not what your client or market needs, nobody will buy from you, and therefore you do not have a business.
Some questions that will help you detect the needs of your market are:
- What is the biggest problem or headache in your market? What have other competitors and even bigger companies not been able to solve? What are the main challenges your market is facing and with which you could give a practical and valuable solution?
Strategy # 3 - Design a solution that is a perfect “match” with your niche
The importance of this step lies in forgetting about generic solutions and personalizing the services as much as possible, based on what you have achieved in step # 1 (choosing and knowing your niche market) and in step # 2 (knowing your need more important).
Some questions that will help you define an ideal solution for your market are:
- What results or benefits does your market need to obtain to solve its biggest problem, its great headache? What is the most efficient way to help your market to solve that problem? What is the most important thing that your client achieves in this instance?
This is the first step you should take if you are really considering becoming an advisor / consultant. Define these three keys of the "cornerstone" of your business to become independent and succeed with your professional business.
But before you go, do me a favor and tell me! What did you think of this article? Are you considering becoming an advisor / consultant? Which of these 3 keys do you already have defined and which ones have you not thought of yet? I hope you write your comment.
