The Reasons I Started a Consulting Business (and How AI Can Scale It Fast)

I want to share something I wish someone had told me earlier in my career: if you’re thinking about stepping into consulting, the smartest move you can make isn’t landing a consulting job—it’s starting your own consulting business.

There’s a big difference between the two, and that difference is everything.

A consulting job still ties you to a boss, a company, and someone else’s goals. A consulting business, on the other hand, puts you in control. It’s about packaging your knowledge into services that multiple clients pay for over time. It’s ownership. It’s independence. And it’s one of the fastest ways to create a career—and lifestyle—that’s fully on your terms.

When I transitioned from the military into the private sector, I didn’t want to just trade one job for another. I wanted control. That’s what led me to launch GovClose, where I now train professionals, business owners, and consultants on how to win government contracts. That move completely reshaped my income, my opportunities, and the way I live and work today.

In this post, I’m going to walk you through the biggest reasons why starting a consulting business is so powerful. I’ll also clear up some of the fears and misconceptions that keep people from making the leap.

Why Consulting as a Business Changes Everything

Let’s start with the most important mindset shift:

👉 A consulting job is still employment. You’re renting out your time to one company.
👉 A consulting business is ownership. You’re turning your expertise into a service you control, that multiple clients can buy from you.

That one distinction is the key to building real freedom—financial freedom, time freedom, and career freedom. When you run a consulting business, you decide which clients to work with, how to structure your services, and how big or small you want to scale.

And here’s the best part: you don’t need to quit your current job tomorrow to start. You can build your consulting business part-time, test your niche, and expand once you’re ready.

Ten Reasons to Start a Consulting Business

Over the years, I’ve seen professionals from all walks of life—corporate leaders, veterans, federal employees, entrepreneurs—successfully make the transition into consulting. And while everyone’s path looks different, the reasons for doing it tend to fall into ten powerful categories.

1. Independence and Control

You call the shots. You choose your projects, your clients, and your schedule. You’re no longer tied to someone else’s corporate ladder or office politics.

2. Financial Upside

In a job, your income is capped. In consulting, your expertise is an asset that can scale. Especially in specialized markets like government contracting, fees can be life-changing.

3. Flexibility Without the Risk

You don’t need to quit your job to start. You can build your consulting business part-time until it’s ready to stand on its own. This lowers the risk and gives you a safety net.

4. AI as an Amplifier

A lot of people are afraid AI is going to replace consultants. The truth? It’s going to amplify us. With the right tools, AI makes you more productive, more valuable, and able to manage bigger projects with fewer headaches.

5. Global Reach

Consulting is location-independent. I’ve run parts of my business from rural towns and overseas, and clients don’t care. If you’ve got expertise and Wi-Fi, you can serve clients anywhere in the world.

6. Peer-Level Respect

When you’re consulting, you’re not an employee—you’re a peer. You’re sitting at the table with CEOs and decision-makers as an equal, offering strategic guidance. That respect changes everything.

7. Career Redefinition

Consulting isn’t just about money—it’s about identity. It lets you reinvent your career into something that aligns with your goals, lifestyle, and values.

8. The Ability to Pivot

Consulting gives you room to test ideas. If one niche doesn’t work, you can try another. You can experiment with services until you find the perfect fit without burning down your whole career in the process.

9. Monetizing Experience at Any Stage

Whether you’re fresh out of school or retiring from a long career, consulting lets you turn your accumulated knowledge into income. For veterans and seasoned professionals, especially, consulting is a way to repurpose expertise into high-value services.

10. Hidden Opportunities

This one is my favorite. Consulting opens doors you never see in a job—equity deals, advisory board seats, partnerships, leadership roles. Clients often see consultants as strategic assets, not just hired help.

The Myths That Hold People Back

Even with all these advantages, a lot of professionals hesitate. Let’s tackle two of the biggest fears head-on.

Fear #1: “I can’t quit my job.”

Good news—you don’t have to. You can start small, part-time, and grow. Many of the most successful consultants I’ve trained started with one client on the side.

Fear #2: “AI is going to replace consultants.”

Not true. AI is a tool, not a threat. Consultants who learn how to use AI will deliver better results, faster, and at higher value. It’s the consultants who ignore AI who risk being left behind.

The Power of Picking the Right Niche

Here’s something I can’t stress enough: your niche matters.

When I started GovClose, I chose government contracting because it’s a massive market with high complexity and high demand. That combination means fewer competitors, higher fees, and clients who need real expertise.

Whatever your background is, you need to find a niche where your knowledge solves painful problems—and where clients are willing to pay for it. That’s the sweet spot.

Multiple Income Streams = Stability

One of the things I love most about consulting is that your income doesn’t have to come from just one source. Unlike a salary, which depends on a single employer, consulting allows you to diversify:

• Retainers

• Training programs

• Speaking engagements

• Advisory work

• Equity stakes

This diversity creates stability and opens up exponential growth potential.

A Consulting Business Isn’t Just a Career—it’s a Reboot

When you put all of this together, here’s what you get: consulting isn’t just another way to earn a paycheck. It’s a career and life reboot.

It’s a way to:

• Regain control of your time

• Multiply your income

• Work with decision-makers as a peer

• Live and work from anywhere

• Build a brand and legacy that outlasts a single role or job title

For me, it’s been the most rewarding move of my professional life. And for the people I’ve trained, it’s opened doors they never imagined—whether that’s winning their first government contract, stepping onto an advisory board, or building a consulting firm that changes their family’s future.

Final Thought

If you’re serious about creating more freedom in your life, consulting isn’t just a career option—it’s a career accelerator. It can redefine how you earn, how you work, and how you live.

That’s why I built GovClose—to give professionals the roadmap for building consulting businesses that thrive, especially in high-value markets like government contracting.

So if you’re ready to take the leap, here’s your next step:

👉 Learn how to start and scale your consulting business at GovClose.com
👉 Explore the GovClose Certification Program and see how we train consultants to win in the federal marketplace: GovClose Certification Program | Government Contract Training
👉 Follow me on LinkedIn for free live training and Q&A sessions

👉Get Free Weekly Government Contracting Business Tips: https://federalytics.substack.com

Consulting changed my career and my life. It can do the same for you.