New to consulting or not, many people have a hard time thinking of themselves as experts. "Expert" sounds so serious. But, really, to be an expert, you just need to know more than someone else.

Think about it. Many of us have family or friends we call on when our computers are on the fritz -- and some of us are those family or friends! For the most part, these people aren't world class computer tech support experts. They're simply people who can help us out of a jam. They're people who know more than we do. (Except when it's my family calling me, in which case I'm the expert., apparently.)

To be a consultant, you need to position yourself as an expert. If you haven't already, sign up for my Become a Consultant newsletter and get a free list of ways to jumpstart your expert status. See the top right of this page.

This is a guest post from Laura-Jane Koers. She's been writing a series on becoming a freelance writer.

Finding Bigger and Better Contracts

With a number of freelance writing gigs under my belt, I was on a quest to land bigger and better contracts.

I applied for a number of projects, and the learning curve was steep.

What Works and What Doesn't

I quickly learned what works and what doesn't. For me, honesty is key. I don't pretend that I'm something that I'm not. I'm relatively new to this business, and I'm not afraid to admit it. In fact, I highlight the benefits by bringing clients' attention to my fresh ideas and enthusiasm.

I've also realized that freelance writing can be a competitive business. I'm competing with thousands of people from around the globe! So If I'm not qualified or well-suited for an advertised position, I move on. I focus my time and efforts on jobs that I know I'll be great at. I've learned that I have desirable skills that people will pay for. I know where my skills lie, and I seek out clients that are looking for these skills.

I achieve the best results when applying for jobs that truly interest me. And if a client advertises for a funny and creative writer, I do my best to be funny and creative in my response. I take risks that don't always pay off--but when they do, the success is that much sweeter.

I also seek out like-minded clients. When I'm reading a blog or online magazine for fun in my free time, I often come across businesses that could benefit from my skills. I've been using using 21st-century cold-calling techniques: cold-emailing. I've been amazed at the positive responses I've had. I've discovered that often business-owners are desperately looking for help but they don't know where to start.

Looking Back

I started out with a few small writing jobs that came from connections in my social network. Since then, I've landed the majority of my positions through online job postings. These days, I'm focusing on my existing contracts and on seeking out clients that I really want to work with.

Now that I've got my foot in the contracting door, I've had businesses come to me for advice. I've had phone calls where I've been asked point blank, “How much would you charge for this project?” and I've had to scramble to come up with the right number. I've got a lot of projects on the go. And, come to think of it, I've achieved my goal of becoming a freelance writer. Excuse me while I have my very own wow moment...

There's still room to grow. But for now I'm happy to bask in the fact that I took a risk to follow my dream of writing for a living, and the risk has paid off.

Laura-Jane Koers is a freelance writer currently living on Prince Edward Island, in Canada. She blogs about farm life at  www.whimfield.com. To find out more about Laura-Jane's current writing endeavours, visit  www.laura-jane.com.

Famous cook, author and TV host Julia Child introduced millions of people to the art of French cooking. But would you believe she didn't learn to cook till she was in her late 30s?

Julia Child had a wide variety of interests. She played basketball in college, then worked as an advertising copywriter and freelance writer. Later, she worked on secret projects, including making sure sharks would not blow up underwater munitions. After marrying a prominent diplomat, she moved to Paris. There, inspired by her husband's interest in fine cuisine, she studied at Le Cordon Bleu cooking school.

It just goes to show that you can follow more than one path in life. If you've been thinking that you'd like to try something new -- or that it's too late to shift gears, stop for a moment and consider "What if?"

Of course, your late 30s doesn't seem so old to me. But even if you're twice that age, there's no reason you can't try your hand at something new. In fact, you'll be able to draw from all the other experiences and skills you have.

Related:

• Discover Your Inner Consultant

This week's top five list is actually a top seven list. I've been talking about stepping out of your comfort zone lately, so, why not mix up the Friday 5? Just kidding. This list of seven reasons to work for yourself by Daniel was just so good that I didn't want to limit myself.

Given the way gas prices have been headed, you might be interested in point 2: no more commute.

I barely use my car. I work from home, meet clients near my home and typically shop online for office equipment. When I do drive, it's to a warehouse or big box store -- which isn't all that often. As a result, I have a lot more disposable income than other people. But it isn't all about money. I feel good knowing that my carbon footprint is small for someone living in my part of the world. I like that, simply by doing my work at home, I have a smaller footprint.

Most people work for other people, not for themselves. As a consultant, I count myself lucky that my time is my own. But what if you're stuck in a job you hate?

I've never had a job I hated completely. I've always been able to find something about the job to like. But that doesn't mean I never suffered or that I never wanted to quit. In fact, I've left jobs I couldn't stomach. There's a reason I work for myself, right?

If you're working in a job you dislike:

1. See if you can work from home for even a few hours a week. Some time outside the office may be refreshing.
2. Look to change up relationships in the organization. Try networking within your organization. Negative relationships can suck the life out of you. If you can bond with people elsewhere in the organization, they may be able to "sell" other people on you. If nothing else, it may give you a friendly face for coffee breaks or meetings.
3. Take a vacation. Get away from work and all the turmoil.
4. Start applying for other jobs. Test the waters. Maybe you'd be happier elsewhere.
5. Try moonlighting. Spending a bit of time on some exciting new projects may help the rest of your week seem bearable. Once you've built up a client list, you might even want to go into consulting on a full-time basis.
6. Grow. Take a course. Start exercising. See a movie. Read a book. Write. Spend time with friends and family. Pursue a hobby. Call a friend. Go to a concert. Emphasize to yourself that you and your life are about more than just your yucky job.

How would you suggest dealing with a hated job?

Working in consulting requires a certain degree of confidence. After all, if you're not confident in your abilities, you'll have a hard time persuading clients that you know your stuff.

But what if you're not a particularly confident person? What can you do to become more confident?

Tips for increasing your confidence

• Prepare. Remember the Boy Scout motto, "be prepared"? Well, if you're ready to do your work, meet with a client or hand in a report, you'll come across as a more confident.
• Dress for success. Putting on professional clothing can make you feel more successful. It's like a uniform.
• Stand up tall. Good posture makes you seem confident.
• Make eye contact. When you look people in the eyes -- in Western culture -- you convey trust, ability and confidence.
• Get rid of your expert complex. Remember, an expert is just someone who knows more than their audience -- or, in a pinch, someone who has time to do a job when the client can't. You don't have to be perfect. As Woody Allen once said, "80% of success is just showing up."

How do you improve your confidence?

Almost everything--all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure--these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
--Steve Jobs

What's stopping you?

My community grocery store was having a green Earth fair this past weekend. My husband and I wheeled the kids through the booths, stopping to check out the yoga demonstration, the hybrid car and a few other displays. At one booth, I chatted with someone from an organization that aims to connect city people with the farms that grow their food. I mentioned that, many years ago, I worked for the government as a marketer of agri-food -- value-added agricultural products.

The farm fellow asked me what I was doing now. I explained that I run my own marketing consulting company and that my experience in marketing agri-food had led me to look into what other value-added products I could help my country market. I said that I felt the country relied on primary resources too much and that I wanted to help create a knowledge economy.

He asked if I worked from home. We had a chat about carbon footprints and how mine was pretty small, since I have no commute and try to shop on foot. I noted that, now that I have a family, I've found ways to keep consulting without needing to put my kids in daycare. And then it dawned on me...

I got into consulting because I wanted to live my values. When I started out, all those years ago, I was just diving into a dream. But now I'm there.

Wow.

"It's pretty exciting to be able to making your living from your values," I said. And the guy nodded. He understood. We got each other.

Why do you want to consult?

I jumped into consulting when I was still wet behind the ears. My mom bought me a t-shirt that said, "Fear: the thief of dreams". She saw me as a risk taker.

Well, I wouldn't say I was fearless or that I had nothing to lose. But I was confident in my goals. I'd been planning my launch into consulting for a long time. And I became a consultant a little bit at a time. I'd figured out  what consulting I should do, written a business plan, set my consulting fees, established an emergency fund and so on. It wasn't that I was fearless -- it was that I had a plan.

For me, the scariest thing was that I'd stay in a 9 to 5 job and never pursue my dream. I was worried that I'd never feel the satisfaction of:

• landing my first client
• handing out a business card with my own company's name on it
• telling people I owned a consulting business
• getting my first contract signed
• cashing my first check from a client
• growing my own business

What do you see as the scariest thing about consulting or starting a consulting business?

Recession. Market downturn. Doom. Gloom. If you pay attention to newspaper headlines, you may be wondering if you should give up your consulting dreams right now. In spite of all the negative headlines out there, a recession may actually be your ticket to success. That's right -- consulting in a recession can be a great idea.

I started consulting in the 1990s. As a result, I’ve seen the Japanese banking fiasco, dot-com crash, September 11th fallout, stock market contraction and the drop in the US dollar, among other things. Each one of those scenarios posed potential difficulties for me and my clients. Yet I’ve kept my head above water (and a roof over my head) the whole time. Why? A recession may actually be good for you.

Why a recession may help a consultant:

• Fears of a downturn may send your competitors and wannabe competitors scurrying. More opportunity for you.
• Companies inevitably look to cut costs in recessions – and will outsource more work to independent contractors.
• Businesses will worry about long-term commitments and instead look to hire consultants to get projects done, instead of taking on permanent employees.
• Firms will realize that they’re going to have to work harder to keep their clients happy – and they’ll need the specialized expertise of consultants to do so.
• Independent consultants tend to have lower costs than do big consulting agencies. You may find it easier to get a handle on your cost structure than a giant firm with long-term leases and other commitments.
• A weak US dollar can make it easier to pick up clients in Canada, the UK, Europe and other countries with stronger currencies.
• People who start and run consulting businesses during recessions need to hone their business management skills, making them stronger in the long run.

What do you think about consulting in a recession?

Related to consulting during a recession

• Emergency fund – how big an emergency fund do you need?
• Finance for consultants
• Setting consulting fee rates

Academy Award-nominated comedian Bill Murray has recovered from a lot of mistakes. He was kicked out of Little League and Boy Scouts.

Bill Murray majored in pre-med during college. You can tell from this quote:

You know the theory of cell irritability?. If you take an amoeba cell and poke it a thousand times, it will change and then re-form into its original shape. And then, the thousandth time you poke this amoeba, the cell will completely collapse and become nothing. That's kind of what it's like being famous. People say hi, how are you doing, and after the thousandth time, you just get angry; you really pop.

Murray made a big mistake that cost him his career as a future emergency surgeon. During his sophomore year, he was arrested for marijuana possession. And I don't mean just a little. He was arrested for smuggling nine pounds of it. Ouch. That's not a forgotten joint stuffed into a pocket. That's a whole lot of mistake.

He had to drop out of college. But he took up acting and comedy. Today he's known for classic movies, such as Caddyshack, Tootsie and Ghostbusters, as well as more recent movies, such as Lost in Translation and The Royal Tannenbaums. And, of course, let's not forget Saturday Night Live.

Learn from your mistakes. Find a new path, if need be. Draw from your experiences -- don't be limited by them.

Related

• Discover Your Inner Consultant
• What Julia Child can teach you about business
• What Dolly Parton can teach you about making money

Are you still working for someone else? If you're not running your own business, chances are that someone else dictates when you work, how you work and when you take vacation. And, with more and more people working 50 hours a week at their jobs, you probably don't have much time for anything else. In fact, if you're commuting for an hour each way and working 50 hours a week, you've got about four hours left on week days -- and I'll bet much of that is eaten up by grocery shopping, home maintenance and other unpaid work. You probably only get an hour or two to yourself each day -- by which time you're exhausted.

If you haven't already made the jump to consulting, now's the time to start thinking about it. If you become a consultant, you can gain control of your life. You can work from home, cutting commute times. You can take vacations and schedule your daily routine according to your own needs. Heck, if you're working from home, you can unload the dishwasher at lunch time, pop dinner in the oven at 4 pm and be ready for dinner by the time most people are quitting their day jobs.

Even if you aren't ready to make the switch to full-time consulting, you can start consulting as a second job now. With the extra money, you can hire a housecleaner, get groceries delivered or do something else to make your life easier. Then, when you're ready, you can go out on your own full-time.

Take control of your life. Become a consultant.

In this week's Friday 5, Gia Combs-Ramirez shares the top 5 life traumas that turned into life lessons for her. Number 5 was the time she started a business that failed. However, she shares the lesson of this trauma:

Lesson: What I thought was the big dream was only the doorway to an even bigger one.

She's since started a business that has turned into an even more powerful venture. She learned from her mistake and turned it into something bigger.

That's why my Discover Your Inner Consultant workbook contains exercises to help you review past mistakes, life lessons and tribulations. Sometimes, the very things you thought were signals to steer clear of an issue turn out to be the very reason you should start a business. If you use all the riches of your life experience to guide you, you may uncover new business ideas that turn into personal and financial rewards.

When you think consulting, you might be tempted to think of business consulting or IT consulting -- or, if you're a bit more fanciful, you might let your mind wander to freelance work, such as writing and graphic design. But the world offers a host of business ideas that share kinship with consulting. That's why, in my Discover Your Inner Consultant workbook, I encourage consideration of all life experiences, not just those that seem like consulting.

To show just how "non-consulting" businesses can be similar to consulting, I've been interviewing musician Mary Kastle. In part 1, Mary explained how she got into the music business and what her work includes. In part 2, she mused over the similarities between musicians and consultants -- and how she manages the "business" and "creative" sides of herself. This time, Mary talks about her skills.

Interview with musician Mary Kastle, part 3

What skills do you need to do what you do?

The most important thing is probably confidence. There is a lot (and I mean a LOT) of rejection in this business. It’s not always personal, many times your "package" is just not exactly what they’re looking for, and you need to be able to take that with a grain of salt and keep going. I think too that as you grow in your own career, if you can develop an inner confidence about what you do and not worry about conforming to everyone’s image of what you should be, people are actually more attracted to you and your art. It’s tough but it’s worth it.

Second, you need to be good with people. Music is by-and-large a networking business and there is so much ass-kissing that goes on, people really respect when you can actually be genuine with them. The other side to this is that you need to be able to listen to people and understand what they need. People get tired of you quickly if you are only thinking of your own goals all the time. Many times you meet people but the timing is not right for you to work together. It’s important to respect the relationship regardless and nurture a real connection as you might meet again someday under other circumstances. It’s also quite a small community so you do run into people again and again.

Third, talent helps. There are more and more musicians in the world everyday trying to make a go of it. If you really want to stand out you have to be more interesting than the others in some kind of way. Honing your skills and stage presence are a very important part of developing your talent and never wasted. The cool thing though is that it doesn’t need to be any particular thing, it just needs to be the most dynamic or interesting side of you in an exaggerated form.

Fourth, persistence and tenacity. Especially since the music has kind of imploded and the internet took over, unless you are a blonde bombshell with an overnight hit (Britney Spears type) the only way to be successful in the long run is to stick around for the long run. There is just no such thing as an overnight success in this business and you’ll have to face a ton of rejection before you eventually build a strong fan base that will regularly come to your shows and seek out your music at all costs. 

How did you develop those skills?In Discover Your Inner Consultant, I encourage people to look at their whole life, not just their work life, when they reflect on their skills. What shaped you?

So many things have helped me develop along the way. I think experience is the greatest teacher and I’m fortunate that I kicked myself in the ass when I was 13 and decided this was it, so by the time I was 20 I had already been in a couple of bands, recorded some crappy albums and figured out what not to do. Going to university was definitely another great teacher. Being judged and graded and generally put under the microscope for your musical talent for years is an incredible strength builder in that you have to learn how to take the opinions of "the powers that be" with a grain of salt and learn how to be true to your inner musical voice.

I’ve also had some great friends (and family) along the way that kept me going and supported me at my shows and would support me when things weren’t going so rosy. I also had friends that would ask me “why are you doing this? Why don’t you just get a real job?” etc.. That was very valuable, in retrospect, because it continually tested my own inner desire to pursue my music and develop my own voice.

I’m lucky because I’m naturally a people-person so I’ve always liked connecting with people and that is transferring itself to the stage. My time working in piano bars was invaluable to getting comfortable being alone in the spotlight and just going with the flow of the crowd and feeling out the vibe of the room.

Did you start in this field on a full-time basis? Do you work at it full-time now? Do you have (or have you ever had) any second jobs or side jobs to keep money flowing?

I’ve always worked at music part-time. There have been times when I’ve done it full-time but those gigs were not really my bag (like when I worked on a cruise ship and so on.) Doing my original music full-time is my current goal, but even then, most musicians can do it full-time when their album sales start supplementing touring revenue etc. I used to teach music to supplement my gig income but I’m not that into teaching. Lately I’ve gotten into the arts admin side of things and now I’m working at a small label learning the ropes and having fun working in the business in a different way. It also gives me flexibility to tour and keep working on my own career.

Mary, thanks for doing this interview. I hope that readers are able to use your story to inspire their own businesses, whether they become consultants, overhaul their existing consulting gigs or go in a completely different direction. What's your latest album and where can people see and hear you?

My latest album is my first EP which was released in January. It’s called Fresh Air and it’s available through CD Baby and on iTunes (search Mary Kastle). People can check out the music on my website www.marykastle.com and at www.myspace.com/marykastle

Related

• Interview with Mary Kastle: part one
• Interview with Mary Kastle: part two
• Consulting business ideas
• Discover Your Inner Consultant

If you're trying to reinvent your consulting business or start a new one, it's important to realize the wide variety of  consulting business ideas available. Open your mind, if you want to Discover Your Inner Consultant.

In part one of my interview with musician Mary Kastle, we discussed how she got into the music business and what she does as part of her job. It's important to understand that the performing business involves more than "just" writing and playing music. This time, I ask how a musician is like a consultant.

Interview with Mary Kastle, part 2

How is being a musician like being a consultant?

I think to be successful you constantly have to assess the needs of the people you’re working for, which in a musician’s case is the audience, the talent buyer, the venue, and even yourself.

It all starts with the talent buyer at the venue you’re trying to book into. They are mainly concerned with whether you will be able to draw a crowd and whether your music is suitable for their venue. I think you have to be a good listener and try to put yourself in their shoes. If they are really concerned with filling the place, you might have to explain all the different ways you’re going to promote the show or even suggest alternative ways to bring people in, like get a local musician to do an opening set.

Before I even walk onstage, I pay attention to who’s coming into the audience and what type of music is playing on the stereo. When I’m performing, I’m obviously there to perform my own music but if I see the crowd getting restless I’ll throw in a cover tune, something familiar that gives their mind a rest from trying to absorb new music. If it’s a younger crowd, I might throw in something fairly current, like a Pearl Jam tune or some rock ‘n roll thing they can groove to. If it’s an older crowd I might play Elton John or Simon & Garfunkel that’s more from their era.

Recently I’ve started to think about where the industry is at and how I can fit in to that without totally compromising my artistic integrity. For instance, the bands really making it these days are largely in the indie-rock genre so I need to figure out how I can appeal to that market without totally changing my sound. What is it that people love about the Arcade Fires and Hot Hot Heat’s of the world?

Finally, I also work for the artist inside and have to almost separate myself from that side of me to assess what the artist needs to keep creating. When you’re trying to get the business side of things going on, it can be very encompassing and take a lot of mental energy. I need to pay attention to the (sometimes dim) voice inside that needs to have time to just explore concepts, play without the clock ticking, and create freely to develop new ideas. 

Next week: part 3 of Consultant Journal's interview with Mary Kastle.

Related:
Part 1: interview with musician Mary Kastle

In encouraging readers to Discover Your Inner Consultant, I've emphasized the wide variety of ways in which you can be self-employed as a consultant. My list of consulting business ideas includes many businesses that might not seem like consulting. But, if you're selling your knowledge and experience to help people solve problems, you've a consultant.

I've known musician Mary Kastle for more than 10 years. Recently, I had the opportunity to see her perform and we chatted about her business afterwards. It struck me that she shares many of the skills and qualities I associate with consultants. I asked her if she'd like to do an interview for Consultant Journal and she quickly said yes.

Interview with Mary Kastle

When did you get interested in a music career?
I remember lying on my bed when I was about 7 years old dreaming about being a singer like Paula Abdul and Debbie Gibson, but thinking “I could never do that because I’m not American”. I was already playing piano then but it wasn’t coming together yet. Then when I was about 13, Sarah McLachlan hit the big time and she was right from Vancouver. That’s when my brain starting realizing it might be possible for me to do it too, so I found a singing teacher and came to the conclusion that being a musician was my life’s path.

Did you think you'd end up going out on your own? What prompted you to do it?
I wrote my first song when I was about 7 or 8 years old. I used to sit in my sister’s room and read her poems while she did her homework. So, when I started writing my own and putting them to music, it felt totally natural. I’ve always had a songwriter instinct and a strong independent streak, which combined have naturally led me to always do my own thing.

What does your work include?
At this stage of my career I have had to take on a multitude of tasks to get the ball rolling. It starts with writing the song which includes a lot of different tasks in itself. Writing the lyrics, the melody, the chords, coming up with an arrangement, developing the concept, editing and honing it until it is done. Writing a song can be a long or very short process, sometimes if you get lucky it’ll just come out in one sitting and you’re done, other times I’ve laboured for months over a song, if not years sometimes.

I practice a lot to keep the songs fresh and keep my technique up to speed. Music is definitely a “use it or lose it” situation which is why I try and play live as much as possible.

Playing live requires me to book my own gigs which includes contacting the venues, finding out who the entertainment booker is, sending them something to listen to and then following up to confirm a date.

Promoting a show is probably one of the biggest tasks (or promoting a tour on a bigger scale). This involves designing or contracting the design of a poster, getting them printed, posting them all over town (or bribing someone to do it for you), writing a press release, sending it out and following up with the press several times to solicit interviews, rehearsing with the band, sending out a newsletter to your fans, scheduling any possible radio and/or tv promotion prior to the event (more likely for a tour), getting a great outfit to wear and then rocking out and putting on a great show.

Recording is an ongoing process that requires me to constantly seek out new producers and record tracks with them to see if we’re a good fit. At this point I’m still looking for Mr. Right that will be the producer for my next album but the trial phase is fun too.

Networking is an ongoing part of what I do and probably the most important as well.

There are a lot of administrative things to do like grant applications, filling out royalty forms, doing website/Myspace updates, writing marketing plans, tour planning, etc etc.

Next week: part 2 of my interview with Mary Kastle

It's Friday 5 time. Matt Inglot's list of the top 5 reasons to be an entrepreneur is a pat on the back for those who've already made the leap -- and an inspiration for those of you still toying with the idea of starting a business. Matt notes:

While working a regular job isolates you from the risk of no return on bad ideas, it virtually nullifies the incredible return on good ones. Imagine coming up with a way to save your boss $30 000. You’ll be lucky to get a $500 bonus, and in all likelihood you will receive nothing at all.

Matt's spot on. If you save your own business $30,000, you'll capture the entire amount. Likewise, if you come up with a way to generate more money for your own business, you'll receive a larger share than you ever would from an employer. For example, last year, I came up with a new service for my consulting business to offer. Within 11 months, I was earning $700 a month *in profit* from that one idea -- and I expect that number to climb further. That's $700 in my pocket every month. If I'd done that for an employer, I'd get a thank you and perhaps a small year-end bonus.

Freelance consultants and independent consultants are the same thing. If you're self-employed as a consultant, then you're freelance. It's redundant to put "freelance consultant" on your business cards, unless you're deliberately looking to set yourself apart from consultants who work for larger consulting firms. However, if you're looking to market yourself to a company, emphasizing the "freelance" part is only going to make them think they can hire you for less. Instead, put the emphasis on what you can do for the client, not your consulting fees.

15 ways to quit your job -- looking to make the jump to full-time consulting? Take a look at 15 Ways to Quit Your Job. No matter what your reasons for quitting, I strongly recommend trying to preserve the relationship with your old employer. You never know when you may run into them again.

For example, when I first started consulting, I got a call from my previous employer. Could I come back to cover a busy period? They'd pay double my old hourly wage for a solid month. You can bet I took that job.

While I was still working on that job, the training department manager called me (at my home office) to ask if I could manage another project. I took that on and then she farmed out a couple more projects to me.

Before the month was out, I got a call from a Fortune 500 company. Stunned, I didn't know how to set my consulting fee. I called my old boss and she gave me some solid suggestions. I priced by the project and ended up making $500 an hour.

And that's just part of the value my old employer delivered. Can you imagine if I'd left on bad terms, though? I shudder to think about it!

• How I became a consultant

How to live on $12,000 a year -- that's an article I found via StumbleUpon. The writer claims to live in the US on a budget of just $12,000 a year. Yikes! But it makes for interesting reading. It's possible that the writer's income is more than that, but her or she chooses to live on a modest budget.

Still, new consultants should take the article's tips into consideration. I sometimes run into new consultants who quit the business after a couple of months. It takes a little time to work up to a full-time consulting income -- two months is a pretty short period of time. Sometimes, cutting back on your expenses can help you move forward.

Of course, I recommend taking up consulting as a side job, unless you're already out of work, retired, independently wealthy, depending on a spouse, or otherwise in a position where picking up small projects suits you just fine. Consulting can definitely keep you occupied (and compensated) on a full-time basis, but most people need a little time to work up to it. On the flip side, you can jump into consulting on a full-time basis, if you have some savings or perhaps a part-time job to sustain you.

In my becoming a consultant FAQ, I encourage people to ask themselves whether they can get up in the morning and start working without being told to do so. A lot of people get hung up on this and worry that they'll procrastinate. They think about all the times they've taken long lunches, called in sick, surfed the web, taken a long time to walk back from the coffee maker and otherwise goofed off at work.

Don't be so hard on yourself. If you have a job you don't love, it can be hard to motivate yourself. When you know you're going to get paid your salary, you might feel a little less hungry for work.

In comparison, when you're consulting, you're it. You've got to work to make money. So you've got that to motivate you. And, more importantly, you enjoy a flexibile schedule. That means you can pick your own hours. Feel like going skiing? Go for it. Want to go for a walk on the beach? No problem. As long as you get your work done within the limits of your commitments, you're free to pick and choose your own hours.

As for me, I spent today at the aquarium with my son, had lunch with some friends and then settled down to work later in the day.

How to start a sole proprietorship.  Starting a sole proprietorship is usually one of the easiest routes you can take with your new business. If you're wondering how to start a sole proprietorship, here are some quick tips.

How to start a sole proprietorship

• Register your business name, if you're not using your own name. In many places, you can operate a business under your own name without doing any registration. However, if you want to use a tradename (like ABC Co. or XYZ Management), you'll probably need to register.
• Set up a separate bank account, even if you operate under your own name. If you're using your own name, you can probably just set up a second personal bank account. But, if you want to use your trade name for business, you'll need a business account
• See if you need permits to operate. Sometimes, you need to fill out a fictitious name statement or home business permit. Depending on where you live, check with your Small Business Administration or Ministry of Small Business.
• Keep accurate books and records. You (or your accountant) will need them at tax time.

Starting your own consulting business doesn't have to be a dream. In fact, starting your own consulting business is something real people do everyday. "Consulting business" sounds pretty sophisticated, but, on its most basic level, starting a consulting business means you sell your expertise and knowledge to other people.

Starting a consulting business when you're not an expert

Not sure you're an expert? Perhaps you've never thought of yourself as being one, but anyone can become an expert. You just ned to start a consulting business that matches your unique talents, experience, personality and market opportunity. If you position yourself -- and your business -- the right way, you'll be an expert. You just need to choose something that matches you.

Figuring out what consulting business you could start

If you've figured out why you should become a consultant, try doing a personal inventory and figuring out what you want from a consulting business -- and what you could offer. Don't worry if you don't seem like expert material or if your work experience doesn't seem glamorous. You're a consultant the minute someone hires you to give them advice.

Related to starting a consulting business

• How to become a consultant

"Starting your own consulting business" from Become a Consultant at ConsultantJournal.com

Consultant job listings tend not to show up in traditional job posting media. In fact, you'll usually find a consultant job through informal means. For example, you'll find a consultant job via word of mouth, Craigslist advertising, networking or referral. You'll rarely see a consultant job advertised in the newspaper -- unless it's a job working for a consulting company.

I've got some tips on finding entry-level consulting jobs. However, if you want to work as an independent consultant, you'll need to let go of typical job search strategies and find other ways to find clients. Companies that hire consultants tend to place a huge premium on trusted relationships. So, if you're looking for consulting work, try to ramp up your credibility, interpersonal skills and network. Go out of your way to make customers happy. You might even want to consider reviewing your consulting fees, since they reveal a lot about your markt value.

"Consultant job | Jobs for consultants" from Become a Consultant at ConsultantJournal.com.