Specialist consulting from your professional experience
Sell advice or project work in a field you know deeply: HR, compliance, engineering, marketing, procurement, health and safety, and so on.
- To startR0 to R5 000
- First randabout 2 months
- WhereOnline or in person
- Effort Fairly easy
Is this for you?
Best for
Professionals with 5+ years of experience and contacts who trust them.
In South Africa: Strong.
What you need
- A laptop or computer
- Works on everyday data
- No camera needed
- Approaching people yourself
- At least 4 hours a week · age 18+
- Professional expertise (5+ years in a field) (proven or better)
The money
What it can earn
- Pocket money
- A top-up
- A second income
- Can become a full income
This can grow into a full income for people with strong skills and steady customers, but that usually takes months.
What people charge
No reliable SA figure yet
Varies by field; no reliable current SA figure to state a range.
Costs to plan for
- Start-up
- R0 to R5 000
- Every month
- Professional indemnity insurance where relevant.
- Payment fees
- EFT; 30-day payment terms common with companies.
- Margin
- High.
How it is paid: Day rate, project fee or retainer. Our viability score for it: 70 out of 100 (how we score).
How to start
Test it cheaply Before you spend
- Write down 3 problems you have solved repeatedly
- Have 10 conversations with people who face them
- Success signal: one paid scoping engagement
First week Days 1 to 7
- One-sentence offer: who, what problem, what outcome
- List 30 contacts
- Book 5 conversations
First month Days 8 to 30
- First paid engagement
- LinkedIn profile repositioned
By three months Days 31 to 90
- Pipeline of 3+ prospects
- A packaged fixed-price offer
Strong networks can produce work within weeks; without one it can take many months. First income usually takes 14 to 180 days. A day-by-day version for your situation is in the full plan.
Specialist consulting: turn your professional experience into paid projects
23 short lessons with scripts, templates and rand prices to copy. R149 once-off, and the first lesson is free.
See what is insideCustomers and demand
Who pays
SMEs and mid-size companies without the specialist in-house.
Specific problems needing expertise short of a full-time hire.
Is there demand?
Consulting is the most common first business for experienced professionals; practitioner guides (e.g. Launchworks) note it needs little capital and can earn within weeks when you have a network.
Your former employers and suppliersLinkedInIndustry associations
Getting customers
Professional network, referrals, LinkedIn thought leadership, speaking.
In-person networkingSales meetings or callsWord of mouth and referralsResponding to enquiriesPartnerships with other businessesCold email
Risks and rules
Watch out for
- Slow-paying corporate clients
- Restraint of trade clauses
- Feast-or-famine pipeline
Competition: Moderate; credibility is the moat.
Room to grow: Can productise into training or retainers.
Legal and tax in South Africa
Check restraint-of-trade and conflict-of-interest clauses; some fields (law, financial advice, engineering sign-off) require registration.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start specialist consulting from your professional experience in South Africa?
Our research puts start-up costs at about R0 to R5 000. Recurring costs: Professional indemnity insurance where relevant.
How long until the first income?
Typically about 60 days, and between 14 and 180 days. Strong networks can produce work within weeks; without one it can take many months.
Can I do it with only a phone?
Not really. You will need a laptop or computer for most of the work.
What about tax and legal rules?
Check restraint-of-trade and conflict-of-interest clauses; some fields (law, financial advice, engineering sign-off) require registration.
Sources (4)
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Researched by the Earn Path team · editorial policy