How do I start a consulting business?

[kobbydavies]

[font=-apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif]Most people get the order to this wrong, and even I mis-wrote it the first time.[/font]

[font=-apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif]1. Find a hungry market[/font]
[font=-apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif]Yes, do this first. WHO has a set of problems you can learn to solve for fun and profit? This truly is the fun part--you get to choose to learn and interact with whatever field you want! Pick something you like to talk about all day, or you'll be miserable.[/font]
[font=-apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif]2. Develop expertise[/font]
[font=-apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif]Most people would put this step first, me included up until a few years ago, but we'd be wrong. By finding the market you want to serve BEFORE developing the expertise, you ensure there are customers for your services prior to the time and other investments required to do so.[/font]