The Path I Followed To Become A Full-time Consultant

image: wizler.com

There are many paths to becoming a consultant, and each path is uniquely different. Today, I will be sharing with you the path I followed.

1. In 2011, I printed my first business card. It wasn't Excel that was on it or data analysis. I called myself a "Venture Capitalist". I think "Angel Investor" would have been more appropriate but as usual I was dreaming too big. I had too much money and didn't know how best to spend it. So I was looking for business ideas to invest in. One of the people who pitched me is now running his own startup. He's a very gifted and industrious guy. Unfortunately, it doesn't take long for too much to become not enough.
2. Same 2011, I lost the job that was responsible for the too much money. I went to Cotonou for one month French immersion and got a job offer as I was about concluding the French programme.
3. Same 2011, I resumed a new job in just a little after one month of losing the other job. I was spending more than I was making and began finding ways to adjust my lifestyle.
4. 2012, I began shifting focus to having secondary income sources. I printed a second set of business cards, again not as an Excel expert. I was marketing myself as a Mathematics Teacher for home lessons, covering VI and Lekki. I also sent letters with sample of my best writing to Punch, The Nation, The Guardian and one other newspaper looking for a freelance writing opportunity.
5. Same 2012, I changed job. Then printed a third set of business cards. This time around as an Excel and VBA expert. I also signed up on many freelance job sites. I was slowly getting jobs and a small side income.
6. 2013. The Excel consulting side job was going great and growing. I began seriously considering quitting my job and doing it full-time. I was making just from my weekends enough to live on the entire month.
7. Same 2013, I registered UrBizEdge Limited. Then started saving towards my eventual start-up. Wanted to save enough to cover my one year living expense.
8. 2014. I finally quit my job and became a full-time consultant.
9. Same 2014. Jobs dried out and I wasn't making anything for many months. Just when my savings was about to run out, I started making steady small income.
10. 2015. I began making enough to live on and have some money left to put back into the business. 
11. Same 2015. Things began improving and I started building back my depleted savings and pouring more into the business. 

And that has been my path to becoming a full-time consultant.