What Consulting Really Is
Let’s clear something up right away: a lot of people have the wrong idea about what consulting actually is.
According to the dictionary, consulting simply means:
“One person providing professional or expert advice to another.”
That’s it. Simple, right?
But the world has made consulting sound much more mysterious and complicated than it really is. Even I used to believe some of these myths — and they kept me from starting my consulting journey for a long time.
The Myths About Consulting
Myth #1:
Consulting is only for serious men in suits, sitting in glass-walled boardrooms, pointing at charts with laser pointers, and talking to Fortune 500 companies.
You know the image: stiff meetings, flip charts, and people nodding while pretending to understand what “synergize cross-functional integration” means.
That’s what I thought consulting was.
And yes, that kind of consulting does exist. But it’s not the whole picture.
Myth #2:
You need to go to a special school or get a certification or some official approval to be a consultant.
Because “consultant” just sounds official — like you need permission from a secret society before you can start.
Guess what? None of that is true. Absolutely none of it.
The Truth: There Are All Kinds of Consultants
It turns out, consultants come in all shapes and sizes — not just suit-wearing corporate types.
Try this: go to Google and search for things like:
- “Productivity consultant” – You’ll find millions of results. I’ve even trained one myself.
- “Sales consultant” – Over 100 million search results. No surprise there.
- “Dating consultant” – Yes, that’s real. Around 28 million results!
- And my personal favorite: “Raw food consultant” – 3 million results.
Now imagine that conversation:
“Hey Bob, what should I have for lunch?”
“Jim, I’ve thought about it carefully — and I recommend you don’t cook it.”
“Brilliant. Thanks, Bob!”
“That’ll be $100. Goodbye.”
Hey, if it works for them and people are happy — that’s all that matters.
The Google Test
Still wondering if your knowledge could be turned into a consulting practice?
Try this quick test:
Go to Google and type in your topic + the word “consultant.”
You can also try “coach,” “advisor,” or even “expert.”
If people are already offering it — and there are search results — that’s a strong sign there’s a market for it.
Here’s the Big Picture
Consulting is already a $100 billion per year industry — and it’s growing fast. The U.S. government estimated it would grow by 83% by 2018 (and it hasn’t slowed down since).
So, no — consulting isn’t just for stiff suits and glass boardrooms.
You can build your own consulting business — based on your knowledge — on your terms.
So… What Next?
If you’re ready to add consulting to your current business — or want to start from scratch with the right tools, strategy, and support — then you should seriously consider joining the The Expert MBA Program.
In this program, I’ll personally walk you through:
- Crafting your consulting offer
- Attracting premium clients
- Building systems for recurring income
- Creating a profitable, scalable expert business
And the best part? You won’t be doing it alone.
You’ll get access to licensed programs, accredited course materials, equipment, and a powerful network of other experts and coaches. We’ll even help you record your first sessions, create your brochure, niche your brand, and position you for success.
This is more than training — it’s a full professional transformation.
Apply today to join the next cohort of the Expert MBA Program.
