I get a lot of requests for coffee chats about how to become a charity consultant. And, I used to take them, give my advice freely, and not begrudge the time.
But, like anything, when it goes from being maybe 2-3 a year, and becomes 2-3 a month, there is a point at which you have to draw a line. (And, to be fair, the time I gave someone a whole load of advice and they basically reproduced my website and launched a copy-cat service, kind of left me with an unpleasant taste in my mouth).
So this article is for anyone who is thinking about becoming a charity consultant and wants some pointers.
1. Can you cope with inconsistent income?
After 9 years of building my business, I have consistent work and earn a good salary (plus I currently take a lot of holidays and Fridays off – which is even more important to me).
That salary is not always regular – sometimes the invoice timing means I have a lean month followed by a plentiful one, but the overall annual salary is more than I used to earn as a CEO. However, I am privileged in that I have a husband with a regular job, and we divide the financial responsibilities so that I pay the inconsistent costs (predominantly travel in our case, sometimes house renovations) and he covers the mortgage and utilities.
In the early years, I wouldn’t have been able to build my business if I’d been worrying about the mortgage payments. I had months here and there where I earned nothing. And I know established consultants now who are going months without work – it’s a much busier market than it was.
Don’t go into this unless you have some kind of security blanket – like a regular part-time job, a pipeline of committed projects, strong savings, or an employed and supportive partner.
2. Be aware of the competition.
The market is currently being flooded with new consultants. I’ve dropped into a few consultants networking events recently, and the majority are not making a liveable wage. Many are talking about picking up part-time employed roles to pay the bills.
The charity sector is alienating a lot of great talent which is pouring into the freelance world, so you’ll be up against a huge amount of competition.
3. Be prepared to work for free to get the gigs
I made most of my initial sales through writing thought pieces and volunteering my time at events with Action Planning, where I registered as an Associate Consultant when I first set out. That made me a name and a go-to person for that agency. It also gave me access to the advice and support of other consultants, who became my freelance family.
Registering with an agency gets you nothing if you don’t give first. I’ve seen some newer consultants quickly make a name for themselves with other agencies – it’s a good pathway to getting out there.
4. Collaborate, don’t compete
The charity consultants world is a hugely supportive, collaborative space. I regularly engage with and promote my so-called competitors. We refer work to each other freely, praise each other’s work, comment on each other’s posts and elevate what we’re all doing. I’ve platformed a number of my ‘competitors’ on my podcast.
So, don’t be a prat. If you come in, all guns blazing, acting as if you are somehow smashing the competition, you will find yourself alone in what is otherwise a really positive space, and you’ll lose a lot in terms of potential referrals and platforming.
5. Find your niche
Don’t try to sell everything. I started out with organisational health checks – a simple, coherent tool that I developed myself and which was not being done by others in the market at the time in the same way.
I now do more strategic planning and facilitation, governance and interim CEO roles, as well as crisis support and advice.
My offer morphs every few years, building on my knowledge and expertise. Most recently, I’ve established Interims for Impact, which is an interim CEO placement service that comes with support and governance/resilience building (so if you’re an experienced CEO, registering with me may be one avenue for you!).
Whatever you do, you need to start out with a decent idea first.
Good luck!
Consultancy is not for everyone – and that’s ok.
I love it – I love the variety, the learning, the impact. I love working with brilliant, like-minded clients. I have found my place – it’s the first job I’ve stuck with for more than a couple of years.
But you need loads of energy, resilience, patience, persistence and the skills to back up what you’re charging.
Best of luck with it! (and please don’t steal my website…)