How To Turn Your Corporate Expertise into A Paid Consulting Offer

There’s this common misconception that to start a consulting or coaching business, you need everything perfect. You need a brand-new website, the best photo shoot, a whole bunch of clients, and—most importantly—a perfect strategy.

Well, let me tell you, that’s not the reality. The reality is this: You already have what you need to get started.

When I decided to transition from my corporate job into entrepreneurship, I didn’t have everything figured out. What I had was experience—skills I had built over the years—and a network—people who already knew me, trusted me, and were ready to pay for my expertise.

That’s where I started. And let me tell you, that’s exactly where you should start too.

You don’t need a big social media following. You don’t need fancy funnels or a million-dollar sales page. You need to get real with what you already know and who you already know. That’s how you land your first client. And that’s how you grow.

Start by offering your services to your network. That’s the key. I can’t stress this enough: Your first clients are already right under your nose. People you’ve worked with, friends, family, colleagues—they’re your first buyers.

Here’s the truth: the people who know you are way more likely to hire you than a stranger on the internet. Why? Because they trust you. They know what you bring to the table.

You’ve probably had people approach you in the past, asking questions like, “Can you help me with X?” or “How did you do Y?” Well, guess what? You have something of value to offer, and it’s time to start charging for it.

Let me take you back to my first $5,000. That was the moment everything clicked for me. I wasn’t selling anything crazy. It wasn’t some over-the-top offer—it was simple. It was just me helping people with what I already knew. And that $5,000 turned into so much more.

You don’t need all your ducks in a row. You don’t need everything polished. What you need is action. The easiest way to get started is by showing up and offering what you already know. That’s it.

Start with your network. Get them to pay for your services. It doesn’t matter if it feels awkward at first. They’re your first clients—and once you’ve landed them, it becomes easier and easier to sell to others.

If you’re still not sure where to start, I’ve got you covered. I just wrapped up a podcast episode where I dive into exactly how to turn your corporate expertise into a profitable consulting or coaching offer. I break down everything I did, from starting with a simple offering to scaling it into a six-figure business.

You can listen to the full episode to learn more about the exact steps I took, how I used my network to make my first sales, and how you can do the same. Don’t overthink it—start where you are, with what you know, and go from there.