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Ways to Earn
Independent Consultant
Sells expertise you already have, directly, without building a company first.
What they actually do
- Scope problems and deliver outcomes for a handful of clients
- Sell continuously, even while delivering
- Own pricing, positioning and calendar
Who might enjoy this
- People who want autonomy quickly
- People with a track record to point at
- Self-starters
Common strengths
Domain depthSalesBoundariesWriting
Skills needed
SalesPositioningProject scopingNegotiation
Lifestyle
High autonomy, uneven income, low overhead. Often starts as evenings and weekends.
Potential compensation
Estimated $80–$300/hr depending on domain; income varies widely and is never guaranteed.
Typical career path
- 01First paid project
- 02Repeatable offer
- 03Waitlist
- 04Small team or productised service
How to get started
- 01Write down what people already ask you for
- 02Price one clear offer
- 03Tell twenty people
Employment options
Self-employedAgency subcontractingFractional roles
Independent opportunities
RetainersProductised servicesAdvisory
Try it yourself
Draft a single-page offer for the thing colleagues already ask your help with.
Try before you SHFT →SHFT AI perspective
This is the lowest-risk test of independence for someone with your experience — it can run alongside a full-time role.
Watch on this direction
Related careers
All compensation information is an estimate or range. Actual pay varies widely and is never guaranteed.