The most obvious journey for various professions – accountants, lawyers, IT experts, etc – into entrepreneurship is to become a contractor.
There is nothing new to the concept of becoming a hired gun but several favourable changes have arguably made it easier and cheaper than before to become a consultant.
The falling cost of technology has enabled self-employed people to market and brand themselves to a broader audience but at a lower cost. Some operate solely online, allowing them to service clients from across Australia from home.
There are concerns over the way the Australian Tax Office treats some soloists and sham contracting is something that is being aggressively targeted, but the overheads for most self-employed people can be kept to a minimum.
If you’re meeting clients face to face, invest in business cards and maybe even branded stationery – this will help build up your profile and drum up new business.
Income varies depending on your specialty. A consultant can expect to earn at least $50,000, while an IT consultant takes home as much $140,000.
