How to start an IT Consulting Business

Lisa Hendrickson | June 12, 2023

How to start an IT Consulting Business

If you’re reading this blog, that means you have found me online looking for some guidance on tech consulting. Back when I started out consulting, I didn’t even know what I was doing, I was writing the rules as I went. At some point during this blog series, I’ll tell the whole story of all the changes my business went through from 2007-2013, but I’ll start stories from 2013 for the most part. I had closed 3 stores in Minnesota, laid off all my employees, and went out on my own to be a Microsoft Outlook Expert. I’ll share more of stories from the past 10 years as I write the blogs.

Here are how the blogs will work, below is the index. Once I finish a topic, I’ll hotlink it here so you can always use this page as a reference. This information is for anyone to read and learn, but not for sale, not for print, to be copied for content for Tiktok, YouTube, other blogs or presentations. And finally, not to be sold in any fashion. All copyrights belong to Lisa Hendrickson and Call That Girl Co. For permission email me lisa@callthatgirl.biz

My goal is to have other niche entrepreneurs remember learning from my blog to refer my business work when you get calls. Referrals is a big part of your new business, so connecting with others in your industry is very important. Remember, an Expert never says no, but I’ll help you get it resolved. All clients want is their problem solved, whether you do it, or a trusted colleague.

Now let’s get started!

Guessing you’ve been in tech for a while if you’re interested in going on your own with your niche. I had been working in IT for 17 years before I changed direction, so it’s never too late. I’ll try to give examples with many different tech related skills outside my niche, such as networking, software engineering, server management, computer repair, etc. My first tip I give to anyone just thinking about niching out, is to write a list of your top 10 favorite services you support now, or know you’d like to excel in. This list will help guide you as you formulate your own business plan. I’d open Excel and do this, as that’s my next tip and you’ll need it.

Once you have this list, go to Google and type in what you want to be an expert in and add “expert” at the end. For example, if I wanted to be Meraki Expert, Google it and you’ll find pages of your competition. This is important to do your homework before you dive into the world of other experts. You will want to know about them as they will be of your colleagues one day or a referral partner. I did this in 2014 and continue to this day. It’s almost like a “higher level club”. Your searches may only find corporations or Upwork, Freelancer, etc…and if so, that’s good. More room for you to be in Google by yourself.

That’s it for tonight’s blog. I’ll try to keep this updated daily.

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