Table of Contents
Welcome From TaVia
Welcome to the first workshop โ From 9 to 5 to Consultant: How to Transition Into a Thriving Consulting Career. I hope this workshop and this workbook give you all the information you need to pivot into the consulting world.
I enjoy consulting. I am a firm believer that you already have the gifts and talents, and there is a market and an audience waiting for you to show up with those gifts and talents to serve as part of the solution for the challenges they are experiencing.
I have been officially wearing the hat of a consultant for the last five years. But when I look back at my 24-plus years of professionalism and working with various agencies, I believe I was always serving in the consultant world at different capacities. This book reflects that mission: to help you take up space, lead boldly, and share your truth on your own terms.
You already have everything you need. This workbook is simply here to help you activate it.
TaVia's Origin Story โ In Her Own Words
Your Intention for This Workshop
Before we go further โ why are you here? What do you want to walk away with?
Vision, Mission & What This Is Really About
To inspire a new generation of consultants โ especially women of color โ to own their brilliance, define success on their own terms, and step confidently into entrepreneurship with clarity, purpose, and power.
To equip aspiring consultants with the mindset, strategy, and support they need to transition from traditional 9-to-5 roles into thriving, impactful consulting businesses rooted in freedom, authenticity, and legacy.
You already have what it takes. This journey is about trusting it, packaging it, and leading with it.
Write Your Own Vision
What does your consulting life look like 12 months from now? Be specific โ income, clients, schedule, location, feeling.
Why You Are Here โ It Is Time for Your Next Big Leap
If you are tired of the 9-to-5 grind or some variation of it, it is time to start thinking bigger, bolder, and more independently.
Transitioning from employee to consultant is not just a career change โ it is really a life change, and even a change in how you think about work.
This workshop breaks down exactly what you need to make that transition smoothly, confidently, and profitably.
What Is Driving You to Make This Move? What Would Your Life Look Like If You Never Made the Leap?
Consulting Is Not What You Think
Forget the image of expensive suits and Ivy League credentials. Consulting is not just for corporate executives. It is for anyone with a skillset people will pay for. Let me say that again: It is for anyone with a skillset people will pay for.
You can start with the expertise you have today. There are consultants with every degree imaginable and consultants who built six-figure practices on lived experience alone. TaVia started with her personal story.
If you know how to brainstorm, problem-solve, look at all the angles โ you already have the skills. The credential is the result you can help someone achieve, not the letters after your name.
Some of our most powerful lived experiences equate to transferable skills that serve us well in ways we have never imagined. Widen your mind to all the experience you have โ professionally and personally. TaVia built her first consulting contracts entirely from lived experience before developing her broader skills. 10 months. $100,000.
You do not need to be a CEO or an expert with decades of experience. You can start consulting with the expertise you have today.
Reframe: What Expertise Do You Already Have Right Now?
What Will Your Life Look Like?
Picture it: more control, more flexibility, and more income.
No more 9-to-5 unless you actually like it and choose to schedule your clients around it. You are not beholden to anyone else's clock.
Work with people who come to you because they believe you have the insight and strategies to support them in conquering their challenges.
Office. Backyard pool. Apartment in another city. Airbnb abroad. It does not matter. You can work anywhere.
Based on your skillset, your network, and your hustle. The ceiling is yours to set.
TaVia works from her office, her backyard pool, and her apartment in Sacramento. Some days all three. Here is what a consulting day can look like โ and space to design yours.
Hosting strategy sessions with clients or writing proposals. Coffee in hand. Focused. This is peak thinking time.
My Morning Will Look LikeMeeting with collaborators, preparing for workshops, or taking a real lunch break because you own your schedule now.
My Midday Will Look LikeWorking by the pool, at the office, or from wherever you feel most alive. The work follows you โ not the other way around.
My Afternoon Will Look LikeRecharging, journaling, planning content, or simply being done โ because you built something that does not demand 24/7 from you.
My Evening Will Look LikeWhy Do We Wait?
The biggest hurdle is often getting out of your own way. Sometimes the biggest barriers are invisible โ until you name them.
You talked yourself into it. Then you talked yourself right back out. You may have consulted people who do not share your vision and let their doubt become your doubt.
Leaving the security of your full-time job โ especially a good county or government job โ can feel terrifying. That fear is real and it is valid. It is also not a reason to stay stuck.
"Who am I to offer consulting services?" That is actually normal. Even experienced consultants still feel it at times. It does not mean you are not ready. It means you care about doing this well.
"Where do I even start?" That question is the most common one TaVia hears. The answer is: start here, start now. You do not need a perfect plan. You need a first step.
What Is Actually Holding You Back? Name It. What Would It Cost You to Wait One More Year?
What Skills Will You Be Consulting On?
What problems do you solve in your current or previous jobs? What hats did you wear? What challenges did you tackle?
What experiences, knowledge, or skills do others ask for your advice on? Think about the last six months โ what are people consistently coming to you for?
Think about the unique challenges you faced and how you overcame them. Those moments are transferable skills. They are exactly what someone else is struggling with right now.
List every job, role, lived experience, or challenge you have navigated. Then identify the transferable skill and a real result you achieved. This page is going to fill up fast.
Everyone has something valuable to offer. Find out what yours is โ then charge for it.
TaVia's Three Niche Questions
Most people have their consulting offer mapped out by the time they finish answering these three questions.
You do not need a perfect title. You need to know the problem you solve and who needs that solution. These questions will show you both.
Think about the last six months. What are people consistently seeking your advice, opinion, or insight on? Are you noticing a trend? The fact that people seek you out at all is itself worth paying attention to.
In one sentenceYour gifts often feel invisible because they come so naturally. What do you do effortlessly that other people struggle with or avoid entirely?
In one sentenceYou have been consulting for free. Where have you helped someone achieve a real outcome at work, in their business, or in their life and never sent an invoice?
In one sentenceFind Your Sweet Spot โ Your Niche Statement
Look at your three answers above. What theme do you see? A niche is less competition and higher demand. The more specific you are, the more desirable your services become. The riches really are in the niches.
Instead of "I am a business consultant" โ try:
"I help [specific person] with [specific problem] so they can [specific result]."
What Makes You Stand Out?
What makes your solution different, better, or more tailored than other consultants? This is your thought leadership. Why is your approach the right one?
Get clear on the results you can deliver โ not just the process. We are in an era of a lot of words. Focus on what the results actually are for your clients.
Why should clients hire you over everyone else? When you can clearly speak to the problem, you raise your perceived expertise in the eyes of that potential client.
What makes your approach to this problem different from anyone else offering something similar?
The Results I Can Confidently Promise Why Should a Client Choose You Over Everyone Else?Your Brand Is Everything
Up until a few years ago most people did not think of themselves as a brand. But whether you are a business owner, nonprofit leader, teacher, or consultant โ you have a brand. Invest in it. You are selling you first, not just your services.
Professional website, consistent social media presence, and a clear message. It can be simple. But it needs to exist.
Videos, blog posts, workshops that showcase your expertise. Increase your digital footprint. People should be able to find some element of you online.
You do not need to be a copy of anyone. Show who you are and what you believe in. Stand boldly in it. There is always an audience waiting for you to show up authentically.
You are selling you and not just your services. When people connect with you authentically โ your personality, your belief system, your realness โ they become clients for life.
Brand Audit โ Where Do You Stand Today?
- I have a professional website or landing page
- I have a consistent presence on at least one social media platform
- My message is clear โ people know what I do and who I help
- I create content that demonstrates my expertise
- I show up as myself, not a polished version of someone else
Build Relationships, Not Just Clients
One of the biggest mistakes people make is thinking they need to go find a whole new audience before they can start consulting. The most practical, realistic approach is to start with your existing network. Your first client is probably one conversation away.
Reach out to friends, family, and colleagues. Do not underestimate people you know in one context โ they exist professionally in other capacities too.
Industry events, webinars, conferences, community gatherings. Never underestimate the small, intimate networking event โ those connections are just as valuable as the big ones.
Do not just pitch. Find common ground first. When people connect on what they share, they are far more receptive to what you have to offer. Quality over quantity every time.
TaVia's networking rule: At every event, I shoot to only connect meaningfully with five people. Those five people have a tendency to come looking for me. I do not have to track them down. Your network is your net worth.
Your Network Map โ Who Do You Already Know?
List five people in your existing network who could use your services OR know someone who could. Do not overthink this.
Package Your Expertise
Consulting is about advising, guiding, and helping people take action โ not doing everything for the client. You bring the framework, you ask the right questions, and they do the work. That is how you protect your time, your energy, and your value.
Think clear and concise. Consultations, one-off sessions, or longer-term contracts. What format fits how you work and what your clients need?
What specific problem are you solving and how are you delivering results? Clients already know their problem. You need to know how to think about it innovatively.
Be clear on the transformation you are offering. Always be solution-focused. Always communicate the transformation โ not just the process.
Your Irresistible Offer in One Sentence
I offer a [format] for [ideal client] who want to [result] without [pain or obstacle].
Pricing That Reflects Your Value
When TaVia started, pricing was a sticky thing. Most of us did not grow up in households where money was talked about openly. But here we are โ and your price needs to reflect your worth. Do not undersell yourself.
Your level of expertise, the depth of knowledge, and the lived experience you bring to every client engagement.
Not the hours you spend โ the transformation you create. What is the client's outcome worth to them? Price accordingly.
Research what consultants at your level are charging for similar work in your niche. Do not price in a vacuum.
Entry-level, mid-range, and premium options. Three tiers give clients options and give you room to grow into higher pricing as your results build.
Do not be afraid to raise prices as you gain experience. When you have increased your results and built a track record, raise the price. That is the whole point โ do less work at higher value.
How to Start Your Consulting Career in 5 Steps
Problems People Bring You
What challenges do others consistently ask you to solve?
Results You Have Generated
Get clear on the results you can deliver, not just the process.
Focus on Transformation
Not just what you do but how it changes things for people.
Target Audience
Who needs your expertise and will pay for it?
Client Challenges
What specific problems are they trying to solve?
Quality Over Quantity
You do not need everyone. You need the right fit.
Goal Alignment
How do their goals match what you uniquely bring?
Identify Pain Points
What struggles does your client face every day?
Your Solution Process
How specifically do you solve their problem?
The Transformation
What does their life look like after working with you?
Package Options
1:1 sessions, group programs, audits, retainers.
Premium Value
What is your transformation truly worth to the client?
Client ROI
Quantify the return on their investment where possible.
Pricing Strategy
Value-based pricing, not time-based.
Choose Your Platform
Pick one channel where your clients already are. Start there.
Share Valuable Content
Demonstrate expertise through helpful, consistent insights.
Connect With Your Network
Reach out to existing contacts. Do not wait until you feel ready.
Solve Visible Problems
Address pain points publicly to attract the right clients to you.
How to Pitch Your Services
Focus on solving the client's problem โ not just selling a service. You are potentially the solution. You are the catalyst. The world already knows the problem. What is your innovative approach to solving it? Lead with that.
If you know you can deliver a percentage increase, a revenue result, or a meaningful transformation โ state it confidently. Clients want to know they are getting results. Your confidence is part of what they are buying.
Share testimonials, case studies, or real-life examples of results you have already created โ paid or unpaid. You have built something. Now it is time to sell it.
Lead with the problem you solve, not your job title.
Social Proof I Already Have (Paid or Unpaid)List any results you have already helped people achieve. These are the seeds of your testimonials.
How to Grow Beyond Your First Client
Leverage existing clients for referrals and testimonials. The best new client is one who came from a previous client โ they show up warm and pre-sold on your value.
Group consulting, online courses, workshops. Consulting does not have to be one and done. Contracts get renewed as clients identify additional problems.
When the time is right, consider hiring or partnering with others to expand your reach โ without overloading yourself. You left the grind to build something sustainable.
Do Not Make These Mistakes
These are mistakes TaVia made in the beginning โ and ones she sees new consultants make every time. Learning from others saves you serious time and money.
Your role is not to do everything for the client. Consultants advise, guide, and help people take action โ they do not become a part-time employee. Set clear expectations of both roles from day one.
There is nothing more frustrating than undercutting yourself and giving your all. Set the price as the price. Underpricing does not make clients more likely to say yes โ it makes them question your value.
Do not start work without a contract in place. Ever. It protects you, protects the client, and sets a professional tone for the entire engagement. This is non-negotiable.
The world knows the problem. What is your thought leadership about how to solve it? Be solution-focused. Become the person known for the answer, not the loudest voice describing the problem.
Real People, Real Results
Here is how others took the leap and created successful consulting businesses. These stories are not exceptional โ they are repeatable.
Started consulting in February 2020 from her lived experience in Black maternal and infant health. Never had a consulting degree. Began by showing up to a community meeting and raising her hand to share her story. By November 2020, her consulting contracts had reached $100,000. She now charges $300 per hour and consults across youth services, business development, and communications strategy.
After 12 years in HR management, Sarah packaged her expertise into a talent development consultancy. Within six months she secured three retainer clients and now earns more working 25 hours per week than she did in her corporate role full-time.
Starting with just one client and a LinkedIn page, Marcus leveraged his engineering background to build a sustainability consulting practice. In 18 months he grew from $5K to $30K in monthly revenue and now employs a team of four specialists.
Despite initial rejection from potential clients and struggling with self-doubt, Elena persisted with her marketing consultancy. By focusing on small businesses in her specific niche, she built a $150K annual practice within a year โ while raising two children.
Staying on Track โ The Reality of Consulting
You will face rejection, confusion, and setbacks. Do not let it derail you. This is the process โ the journey of being refined, getting better, and doing better work.
Every client you land is proof that your services are valuable. When you are starting out or scaling, every win is a win โ small, medium, and large. Celebrate all of them.
Keep learning and evolving โ your business will grow as you do. TaVia started in maternal health and has since expanded into youth services and business development. Skills transfer. You will expand.
The road ahead will have its challenges. But it is totally worth it. Consulting is more than a career change. It is a life change.
When It Gets Hard โ My Reminder to Myself
Write something to your future self for the day it feels too hard to keep going.
My Biggest Win So Far (Even a Small One)Q&A From the Workshop
These are the real questions that came up during the live workshop โ answered in TaVia's own words from the recording.
If people are already seeking you out for your guidance, insight, and perspective โ that is consulting. It does not matter what you call it. The framework is the same: you identify a specific problem you solve, you package it clearly, you price it confidently, and you let people know it exists. Wellness coaching, spiritual coaching, life coaching โ all of these have consulting potential, especially when you narrow into a specific population or outcome. A lot of people do not even know how much they need your help. That is actually the opportunity.
Rejection is part of the process โ not a signal to stop. Elena built a $150K practice after getting rejected multiple times. The question is whether your niche is specific enough, whether your offer is clear enough, and whether you are in front of the right people. Rejection is almost always information, not a verdict. Use it to refine, not to quit.
TaVia built her first $100,000 in consulting revenue from lived experience alone โ before developing her broader research and systems skills. Lived experience is a legitimate and powerful consulting asset. Especially in spaces that are underserved, your ability to speak to the experience of the people you serve is worth more than a credential to the organizations that work with those communities. Start where you are.
Reach out to someone in your existing network โ one person โ and have a real conversation about what you are building. Not a pitch. A conversation. Tell them what problem you help solve and ask if they know anyone who is dealing with that problem right now. Your first client is usually one conversation away from someone you already know.
When you have a track record of results. When you can point to a specific transformation you created for a client. When people start referring others to you without you asking. When you finish a project and feel like you undercharged. Any one of those signals is enough. Do not wait for perfect โ raise the rate when you have evidence that your work delivers real value.
Counterintuitively, the more specific your niche, the more clients you will find โ not fewer. When you speak directly to a very specific problem, the right people recognize themselves immediately and reach out. A broad message reaches everyone and converts almost no one. A specific message reaches fewer people and converts far more of them. Start specific. You can always expand later. TaVia started in Black maternal and infant health. That niche led to youth services, business development, and communications strategy. One specific door opened many others.
Freelancers are typically hired to execute tasks โ design this, write that, build this. Consultants are hired for their thinking, their strategy, their judgment, and their ability to help a client solve a problem. You are not doing the work for them โ you are helping them figure out what work to do and how to do it. That distinction matters for how you price (consulting rates are typically much higher), how you scope projects (outcomes not deliverables), and how you show up in the relationship (as a peer advisor, not a vendor). If you are sharing insight, strategy, and guidance โ you are consulting.
Absolutely โ and for most people that is actually the smarter move. Starting on the side means you can build your first client relationships, refine your offer, and develop a track record without financial pressure. Some of the best consulting businesses were built entirely in the evenings and on weekends before the person made the full transition. The goal is not to quit your job tomorrow. The goal is to build something alongside it that eventually makes the quit obvious and safe. Check your employment agreement for any non-compete or conflict of interest clauses first โ but in most cases, consulting in a different space than your employer is perfectly fine.
My Questions
Write any questions you still have that you want to get answered โ through research, through TaVia, or through a session.
Tools, Prompts & Templates
These are TaVia's proven tools for getting started. Use them as a foundation and make them your own.
I help [specific type of person] who struggle with [specific problem] to [specific result] through [your method or format].
My Completed Niche StatementHi, I am [name]. I help [type of client] who [problem they face] to [result you deliver]. I do this through [format of your service]. Right now I am working with [type of organization or person]. Would that be helpful for anyone you know?
My Completed PitchUse these questions on any discovery or intake call to understand a potential client before you pitch:
- What is the biggest challenge you are facing right now?
- How long have you been dealing with this problem?
- What have you already tried? What worked and what did not?
- What would solving this problem make possible for you?
- What does success look like to you in 90 days?
- What would it cost you to NOT solve this problem?
Before starting any engagement, your contract should include:
- Scope of work โ exactly what you will and will not do
- Deliverables and timelines
- Payment terms โ amount, due dates, late fees
- Revision and change request policy
- Cancellation and refund policy
- Confidentiality clause if needed
- Signatures from both parties before work begins
After a successful engagement, send this: "I really enjoyed working with you on [project]. Would you be open to sharing a short testimonial about your experience and the results you got? Even two or three sentences would mean a lot. I can send you some prompts if that helps." Then send: What was the problem before we worked together? What changed? What would you tell someone else considering working with me?
Use this simple weekly check-in to stay on track:
Use this checklist in your first 30 days to go from idea to first client:
- Complete all three niche questions and write your niche statement
- Write your one-sentence offer
- Set your entry-level price (do not underprice it)
- Choose one social platform and post something about your expertise this week
- Write your 30-second pitch and practice it out loud three times
- Identify five people in your network to contact this week
- Have at least two real conversations (not pitches โ conversations)
- Draft a simple one-page service description or PDF you can share
- Find a basic contract template and customize it before your first call
- Book a discovery call with at least one potential client
- Send a follow-up within 24 hours of every conversation
- Land your first paid engagement โ even small counts
Use this to anchor your pricing in real numbers, not guesswork:
Pick one platform. Post consistently for 4 weeks using these prompts to build your digital footprint and let people know you exist:
Week 1 · Introduce Yourself
Share what you do, who you help, and why you started. Tell your story. Be human about it. Your lived experience is your differentiator โ put it on the page.
Week 2 · Address the Problem
Talk about the specific problem your ideal client is dealing with. Show them you understand it deeply. Do not pitch โ just demonstrate that you see what they see.
Week 3 · Share a Result or Insight
Share a real result โ yours or a client's (with permission). Or share one key insight your audience can use today. Practical value builds trust faster than any pitch.
Week 4 · Make an Offer
Tell people what you offer, what it includes, and how to work with you. Make it easy for them to say yes. Include a clear call to action โ a link, an email, a DM.
Send this before a discovery call to arrive prepared and make every conversation count:
- What is your name and the name of your organization or business?
- What specific challenge or project brings you here today?
- How long have you been dealing with this challenge?
- What have you already tried? What worked and what did not?
- What does success look like to you at the end of this engagement?
- What is your timeline for seeing results?
- Do you have a budget range in mind?
- Who else is involved in making this decision?
- How did you hear about me?
Work through this in real time โ on the replay or live. By the end of this exercise you will have your first consulting strategy mapped. Do not skip it.
Direct Coaching From TaVia
This section is TaVia speaking directly to you โ not theory, not framework. This is the coaching she gives her private clients, pulled from years of building her own consulting practice and helping others build theirs.
"Most people will not even do the three things. If you can cover these three things โ which is literally one page of work, brainstorming, thinking it out, mapping it out โ you can launch yourself into the consulting world. Your future is waiting. It really is."
"There is nothing more frustrating than undercutting yourself and giving your all. Set the price as the price. And when you have increased your experience and can show a track record of results โ raise it. You got into consulting for freedom, flexibility, and more income. Do not create a new hustle and bustle. Do less work at higher value."
"You might know your cousin Jonathan as the cousin from the family reunion. But have you ever taken time to ask what he does professionally? Jonathan has a whole realm of professional networks that he can help you leverage. Never underestimate your friends, family, and colleagues just because you know them one way."
"Our role is not to do everything for the client. You bring the framework, you ask the right questions, and they do the work. That is how you protect your time, your energy, and your value. You are the advisor. You are not their part-time employee."
"I truly believe in the power of lived experience. Some of our lived experiences equate to transferable skills that will serve us well in other avenues. Widen your mind to all the experience you have โ professionally and personally. Everything I am today is rooted in things that began in my childhood and evolved as I gained more knowledge. Every experience is a skill."
"Who am I to offer consulting services? That is actually normal. I am being fully transparent โ there are still times where I think that too. But then I remember: people come to me because they believe I have insight, tactics, and strategies that can support them in conquering their challenges. That is enough. You are enough."
Which of These Lands Most for You Right Now?
Pick the one that hit hardest. Write about why it resonates and what you are going to do differently because of it.
Your Roadmap to Consulting Success
Most people will not do these five things. If you complete this page and act on it, you have already outpaced the majority of people who say they want to consult. It is really just one page of work โ brainstorming, thinking it out, mapping it out. That is it.
What are you brilliant at? What do people seek you out for? What results have you helped create โ paid or unpaid?
Start with one. Be specific. The riches are in the niches โ the more specific you are, the more desirable your services become.
It does not have to be perfect or complicated. Start somewhere. Get it out of your head and into the world. Refine as you go.
Value-based, not time-based. What is the transformation worth? What is the client's ROI? Do not undercut yourself to get a yes.
Your first client is likely one conversation away from someone you already know. Start there. Do not wait to build a brand new audience.
Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.
Arthur AsheLet's Keep Going.
Consulting is more than a career change. It is a life change. Your unique skills and experience are more than enough to start. The journey starts now.
Thank you for showing up for yourself. You did the work in this workbook. Now go do it in real life. Your gifts are enough. Your experience is enough. Your lived story is enough. Own it.
Book a Call With TaVia
Ready to go deeper? Book a session to get personalized guidance on your niche, your offer, or your first client strategy.
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Questions or Support
Reach out anytime. TaVia and her team are here to support your transition.
TaVia
CEO & Principal Consultant · Just TaVia Communications
Copyright & Disclaimer
© 2025 TaVia D. Wooley · Just TaVia Communications. All rights reserved.
No part of this workbook may be reproduced, distributed, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means โ electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise โ without written permission from the author. This workbook is for personal use only and is not intended for resale or redistribution.
This workbook is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as legal, financial, or professional business advice. The author makes no guarantees about the outcomes readers may achieve, as success in consulting depends on individual effort, experience, market conditions, and implementation.
All content reflects the personal and professional experiences of TaVia D. Wooley. Results shared in this workbook โ including income figures and client acquisition timelines โ represent the author's own experience and the experiences of specific individuals and are not guaranteed outcomes.
Readers should consult with qualified legal, financial, and business professionals before making any major business or financial decisions.
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