3 Fears that Nearly Stopped me from Independent Consulting

It's been two years since I left my 9-5 job and nine months since I started communications consulting* as a solopreneur.

The truth is:

1. This has been the greatest professional and personal growth spurt in my life.
2. I almost didn’t take the leap due to a bundle of misconceptions and fears about working for myself.?

Today, I’m downstream of that initial cliff jump. I have a wonderful small network of clients and professional friends who’ve been a balm during periods of uncertainty and made this a largely joyful and intellectually interesting ride.?

In honor of turning a professional corner, I want to share a few of the big, scary freelancing myths that almost held me back, in hopes that others considering an independent professional path will see that it’s possible for you too!

The Stories that Nearly Stopped Me

About a year ago, an opportunity fell in my lap to join a strategic communications firm as a consultant. It was a dream job! When I looked at my short list of priorities for my next career step, it checked off every box. I’d have bright colleagues with strong EQ, flexible hours, and the chance to partner with multiple mission-driven organizations.?

Despite finding a nearly perfect gig, I was almost stopped by stories in my head:

• “Independent consulting is for experts who’ve spent decades in their field.”
• “Freelancing is lonely.”
• “I’ll barely be able to make rent.”
• “How will I find clients? I’ve never done business development.”?
• “I don’t have the discipline to be my own boss.”

Etc. Etc.

These demoralizing thoughts hovered in the corners of my brain along with more hopeful “what ifs” like:?

• “What if consulting is an antidote to burnout??
• “What if I was empowered to choose client relationships that are productive, values aligned, and rooted in open communication?”
• “What if I only said yes to causes I believe in and projects where I would excel?”?
• “What if I had the capacity to expand my professional skills with more free time?”
• “What if I was able to find joyful work-life balance?”

As inspired as I was by these “what ifs,” I was nagged by the idea that the lonely hustle of freelancing wasn’t for me. “Solopreneurship doesn’t fit my personality,” I thought. “I love collaboration! I’m thrifty. I’m risk averse.”

With this attitude, I may have never tried working for myself. Lucky for me, I didn’t have to launch into the deep end of a new career because when I took stock of my activities, I realized I was already doing pro bono labor for a few clients and causes. I was practically freelancing for no pay! So, I had nothing to lose.

What I’ve Learned So Far

Let’s fast forward through nine months of consulting to this moment: I’ve now supported organizations in clarifying their brand identities and created content for causes I deeply believe in. My clients have included climate change data scientists, a welcoming network for immigrants and refugees, and a state House representative running to support women’s right to choose, among others.

To be honest: there have been phases of continued uncertainty in a solo career, but it hasn’t been nearly as intimidating as I once thought.?

To anyone considering becoming an independent consultant or freelancer, here are three myths I once held that have been debunked for me:?

Myth #1: Consulting = Crunch Time

If you’ve worked a job, you’ve had this experience: You’re racing to meet a deadline but there isn’t time to get the job done well. You wish you had time for deeper analysis or to craft a thoughtful deliverable instead of just getting it out the door.?

I remember times in my career when my employer had too many priorities. My team hustled to churn out work. Often, we’d discover months later that a project was misaligned or that a strategy hadn’t been vetted. We’d been paddling up the wrong river. It was enormously frustrating.

In his book, Essentialism, Greg McKeown writes, “Is there a point at which doing more does not produce more?” His answer, and mine, is a resounding yes. In my experience, time spent upfront to hone a strategy and time spent at the tail end of a project for refinement equals better results.

I worried that independent consulting would mean less time. (This misconception probably stemmed from business consulting firms’ notoriously grueling culture.) I’ve discovered that for me, consulting has meant CAPACITY. I have the capacity to design work plans that build in appropriate space for gathering input, stress testing strategies, and polishing a piece of work. When I work a billable hour, my time has to count, so I bring 100% of my best effort to each focused hour and aim to finish early.?

I don’t have the interruptions of Slack messages and staff meetings. I’m not consumed by ever-expanding job responsibilities. I’m not worn out from the expectation to be on my computer from 8-5pm. Instead, I'm flush with hours in my day. Fewer, focused hours has meant more mental space to pace my work week and take breaks. As a result, I've been able to deliver more high quality, thoughtful and researched work than in past jobs. (Phew!)

Myth #2: Freelancing is a Lonely Island?

My greatest professional joys come from collaboration and the mutual support of learning on a team. Luckily, I’ve found that freelancing doesn’t have to be a solo sport. The best clients become collaborators and other freelancers can feel like colleagues.?

When I was working in-house, my professional relationships were hierarchical and built off the org chart. Conversely and refreshingly, I’ve found that in the best cases (shout out to Jay Hirschton & Bridget Pooley !) the consultant/client relationship has felt more like a partnership where the work is co-created and feedback is a two-way street.?

So, how do you find clients and build a network of other freelancers? You cast lines to connect through informational interviews and Zoom coffee dates! I reach out to old coworkers, friends of friends who freelance, and people working at organizations that inspire me who are two degrees of separation away on LinkedIn.?

Most of the freelancers I meet work independently and are buoyed by resource lines to other consultants and professional networks. I’ve found particularly rewarding relationships among female-identifying freelancers. We troubleshoot issues, share business advice, and pass along opportunities. I count some of these people as virtual co-workers of sorts now: (Hi Emily L. Gardner , Jenn Clark , Arron L. Neal , Nicole Yvonne Williams , & Emily Aborn !)

Myth #3: Finding Clients = Constant Job Hunting

I used to imagine that finding clients would be like submitting job applications into eternity (in other words: a slow death of soul). Responding to RFPs and submitting cold applications to contract gigs is one way to find work. But for me, the far more fruitful and enjoyable path has been relationship building. I’ve met people through volunteering, pro bono work, and via virtual calls and meetups through my network.

I discovered that landing project-based work is far easier than landing a job because hiring a freelancer is cheaper and less risky than hiring staff. Instead of proving yourself in rounds of extensive interviews and assessment tests, you prove yourself on the job. If you and your client aren’t a fit, it’s simple to part ways. Employers can use freelancers as needed and don’t have to pay for benefits. So, for small businesses and nonprofits, freelancers offer flexibility and cost savings.

While consulting is not as grueling as job hunting, it does take consistent hustle and proactivity to build relationships. (But I’ll take that over sending thoughtful cover letters to a dead email inbox any day!)

The Future of Work is Flexible

The shape of work in the U.S. is more in flux than ever before. Pervasive issues like low wages and long hours are inspiring systemic shifts. We’ve read the headlines and seen the statistics:

• Burnout is on the rise (42% of workers report feeling burned out as of December 2022)
• Work-life balance is the #1 priority for Millennials and Gen Z in selecting an employer
• In 2022, there were 31.9 million occasional independent workers in the U.S, a 100% increase in 2 years

The needs and capacities of both business and individuals are always shifting. Companies shrink and grow. Projects take off and priorities shift. People have chapters of sprinting in their careers and needing or wanting to take time off for family, health or personal reasons.?

As a pragmatist, I appreciate that independent contractors offer flexibility at the margins. Project-based work is efficient because it can fit an organization’s needs for a season. (In a perfect world, contract and gig workers would also have basic needs—like healthcare—met so that they could confidently assume variable work, but that’s another story.)

It’s exciting to be part of a growing trend towards more creative, adaptable work arrangements. Although it’s not without its challenges—the cycles of feast and famine are real—I can say that there’s never a dull moment.

Have you ever considered an independent professional path? If so, drop me a line!

*I use the words consulting, freelancing, and solopreneurship interchangeably in this article. Though they are distinct types of work, my blend of counsel, content production, and working independently fits under all of these labels.?