Starting your own consulting business can be easier than you’d think. Most of it is just making sure that you’re providing your unique skills and knowledge to people who don’t have it. Best of all, most consultants can start part-time, so they don’t have to quit their day job to get their business going.

It’s actually advisable to give it a trial run before making it your full-time occupation. Running your own business takes particular personality traits and endurance; it’s not the right choice for people who crave predictability or have low risk tolerance. Sometimes you won’t know this about yourself until you’re in that situation – and you definitely don’t want to eliminate any options until you’re sure that being independent is truly good for you!