Considering Self-Employment or Consulting? An Honest Look at the Path

Many of my clients are self-employed, often working as consultants, advisors, or independent professionals. Many others are seriously considering self-employment as a next step in their careers, even if they are still employed full time or exploring the idea gradually.

For purpose-driven professionals, consulting and self-employment often surface as a way to gain more autonomy, alignment, and control over how work fits into life. That curiosity is not random. It is usually shaped by experience, growth, and a desire to use strengths more intentionally.

If this path keeps coming back into view for you, that is worth paying attention to.

Self-employment can be deeply rewarding. It can also feel uncertain and demanding at times. Both realities deserve an honest look.

Common fears about self-employment and consulting

When people think about transitioning out of traditional employment or moving into consulting, a familiar set of fears tends to emerge.

Income uncertainty is usually the most obvious one. Closely behind it is concern about finding clients consistently and questioning whether they are truly “qualified enough” to do this on their own.

Another fear that comes up often, especially for thoughtful and relational people, is isolation. Without colleagues built into your day, self-employment can feel lonely. Decision-making can feel heavier when there is no immediate team to sense-check ideas or share responsibility.

These fears are not signs that self-employment is the wrong choice. They are indicators that you are thinking seriously about the realities of the path.

The real challenges of working for yourself

Self-employment requires a different relationship with structure and decision-making. There is far less external validation. You decide what matters, what progress looks like, and when something is complete.

Pricing your work, articulating your value, and staying visible often feel uncomfortable at first, even for highly capable professionals. The core work you offer may be familiar. Building a sustainable consulting business around it usually is not.

Many people struggle here not because they lack skill, but because the learning curve feels personal rather than technical.

Benefits of self-employment for purpose-driven professionals

Despite the challenges, many people choose self-employment because of the benefits it offers.

Autonomy is a major benefit. Consulting allows professionals to choose the problems they work on, the clients they serve, and the pace at which they grow. Many people also experience greater alignment between their work, values, and strengths. From a neurodiversity standpoint, having the freedom to choose where, how, and when you work can be liberating and can support more authentic engagement with your career.

Over time, confidence builds. Skills compound. Professional relationships deepen. What once felt fragile often becomes more stable and sustainable than expected.

Take care of yourself, not just your business

When people talk about self-employment, the focus often stays on revenue, clients, and growth. Those things matter. They are not the whole picture.

Sustainable self-employment requires taking care of the person running the business, not just the business itself.

Without built-in guardrails like paid time off, performance reviews, or external accountability, it becomes easy to overwork, second-guess decisions, or tie self-worth too closely to results. Over time, that takes a toll.

Taking care of yourself might mean setting clearer boundaries around work hours (or not!), allocating time for physical activity and being outdoors, building recovery time into your calendar, or noticing when comparison is driving decisions more than strategy. It can also mean asking for support earlier instead of waiting until you feel depleted.

This is another reason community matters so much in self-employment. Being in conversation with others who understand the pressures and trade-offs reduces isolation and supports clearer decision-making. Support is not a weakness. It is part of building something that lasts.

As I did soon after leaving my 9-to-5 role in higher education, you might choose to join a coworking community or shared workspace. Being around people from a range of backgrounds, industries, and roles can support learning, growth, and connection. I often meet with clients at my coworking community because we value the in-person time together and the trust and engagement it helps build. Humans are not meant to work in isolation day after day, even when that work involves meaningful projects and plenty of video calls.

You do not have to quit your job tomorrow

One of the most persistent myths about self-employment is that it requires an immediate leap.

You do not need to resign tomorrow. You do not need to land a million-dollar client next month. For many professionals, the transition into consulting or self-employment is gradual. They test ideas, build clarity, and create momentum while still employed.

This approach reduces unnecessary pressure and allows decisions to be made from a place of stability rather than urgency. It is often the most sustainable way forward.

Guiding principles that support sustainable self-employment

Because uncertainty is part of working for yourself, developing a small set of guiding principles can be grounding. These principles act as anchors when doubt shows up or when choices feel overwhelming.

Examples many self-employed professionals return to include:

• Believe in my ability to figure it out

• Control what I can control

• Embrace uncertainty rather than fight it

• Build community so I am not doing this alone

• I'm either winning or I'm learning

• Lean into my strengths instead of trying to do everything

These are not motivational phrases. They are practical decision filters that shape how you respond to setbacks, evaluate opportunities, and define progress.

Community matters more than most people expect

Isolation is one of the most underestimated challenges of self-employment. Building community intentionally can change the experience significantly.

This is one reason I value conversations on my podcast. Many guests have taken a consulting or self-employed path in different ways, often with detours, doubt, and course corrections along the way. Their stories normalize the reality that growth rarely follows a straight line.

Many of these conversations show how self-employment takes shape over time. For example, in a recent interview, a guest shared how she built confidence and clients through digital marketing as part of her path to self-employment. Social Media Strategy for Small Businesses That Want to Thrive ➔

More of these conversations are coming in the next few months.
You can explore the podcast here ➔

A reflection to consider

If you are self-employed, or seriously considering it:

• What has been your biggest struggle with self-employment so far?
• What has been your biggest joy?

If you are open to sharing, I would love to hear your response.

And if someone came to mind while reading this, feel free to share this post with them.

Want a deeper look at this path?

If you would like to learn more about my own path and journey to becoming self-employed, including the questions I wrestled with, the decisions I made, and what I wish I had understood sooner, you can explore that story in my book.

You can learn more about the book here. Clarifying What Matters: Creating Direction for Your Career ➔

My hope is that it offers perspective and practical insight as you think about what you want your work and life to look like next.