One of the advantages of being a consultant is you get to stay small if you want to. That might not seem like an advantage, but it is.
Why is it an advantage?
When you keep your business small, you can work with a few number of great clients, do great work, and make a very healthy living.
You get to learn and develop rare skills. You can specialize and create a Methodology around the work you do.
You don’t have the stress and overhead that comes with staffing and permanent office space. Which also means you have margins in your business.
As a result, you get to remain relaxed about whether a client comes or goes—assuming you’ve built up a roster of clients and do good work to keep them.
But the biggest benefit of being solo is you’re inherently rare. You’re scarce. There’s only one of you.
And when you’re in high demand, scarcity increases value.
The best thing you can do is limit the number of people you work with while building an audience of engaged and interested people who may one day do business with you.
As demand starts to exceed the supply, you can increase your rates and create more leverage.
You create leverage by packaging up your Methodology into a course, one-to-many offerings, or series of educational products.
Staying small has it’s advantages. In fact, it could be one of your greatest advantages if you play it right.