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Becoming A Consultant In 2020: A How-To Guide for Indie Hackers

Hey everyone! Consulting/freelancing/contracting is a nice entry point in the ladder of entrepreneurship. For an indie hacker, it can also be a great way to sustain yourself with some quick cash while you're building a bootstrapped product.

I've also found consulting to be a great way to find new business ideas, as it gives you proof that businesses are willing to pay to solve the problem behind the services you are providing.

Consulting isn't easy though - candidly, I have struggled for a long time with getting the formula right. I wanted to share some of the lessons I've learned so that you don't have to make the same mistakes.

Quick click to save you time

Background: I've been consulting for 6 years now. Originally I worked for a Big 4 firm in their technology consulting practice. It was interesting and I got to work with big clients/impactful projects but I wanted more responsibility and ownership so I started working directly with clients. I made a lot of mistakes but also gained a ton of skills & experience. I had the chance to join an up and coming agency as their first hire in a new department and grow that team out. The firm was acquired and I decided that the time was right to go independent again. Now it's about sharing my knowledge and scaling my time/efforts.

Consulting is a different game in 2020. I hope the lessons I share here are able to give you the boost in your career you need to be a successful indie hacker.

Let me know your thoughts, if you agree or disagree!

Here is the guide!

  1. 2

    Really enjoyed this piece. Very clear and actionable. Thanks Eric!

    1. 1

      Thanks @allison! Glad you enjoyed it. Is there anything you wish was covered?

      1. 1

        I'd love to see more about how to structure a cold email/DM. I know to focus on what I can do for the client and their pain, but it's helpful to see examples of what others have done that worked.

  2. 1

    I just plan to become consultant / freelancer after 5 years working full-time on enterprise company. This is might be a good start for me to preparing myself. Thanks for sharing this.

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