The kind of consulting business I can build in 5 years…

Senior executives who are preparing to take the leap into independence often ask me the same question:

“What kind of consulting business can I realistically build in five years?”

My answer is always the same. 
It is all about your decisions how you define this:

• The clients and mentors you learn from
• The problem you choose to solve
• The conversation you invest in 
• The audience you build and nurture
• The habits you practice daily
• The curiosity you explore

It depends largely on just these basic decisions.

That line sums it up.

It captures what separates successful consultants from those who quietly give up after two years.

Success in consulting is never accidental.

The next question then is coming straight afterwards: “When will I be able to make a living from consulting?”

The answer is simple. The implementation isn’t.

Because success doesn’t depend on experience or knowledge alone, it depends on behavioral change.

The corporate mindset doesn’t work here.

Many executives enter consulting thinking like managers.
They plan in quarters. They rely on budgets. They know to lead teams.

They’re used to systems that work for them and structures they can build upon. But consulting is different. It’s not about managing processes. It’s about creating impact and reinventing yourself. 

And it doesn’t start with a logo or a website.

It starts with conscious decisions about how you invest your time, energy, and attention. 

1. The clients and mentors you learn from

Every client shapes you — professionally and personally.

If you only work with clients who “kind of fit,” you’ll only “kind of grow.”

• Choose projects that stretch you.
• Seek mentors who challenge your thinking.
• Avoid people who always explain why things can’t be done.
• Get clarity about your Ideal Customer Profile you serve. Stick to it.

Where your clients face their biggest unresolved challenges, you’ll often find the seed of your most valuable niche.

This was one of my most important findings. 

All easy to be solved topics everybody is taking and fighting for price which is not my or your business.

2. The problem you choose to solve

Many consultants want to “help.” But no one pays for help. They pay for problems solved. 

That means: Know your zone of genius.

Speak the language of your market.

Position yourself where your expertise truly matters.

3. The conversations you invest in

Whether on LinkedIn, in client calls, or at conferences. 
Your conversations define your reputation.

Executives quickly sense whether you’re genuinely curious about their business and their challenges or just trying to sell your offer.

Authentic curiosity is your strongest sales tool.

4. The audience you build and nurture

Many underestimate how powerful it is to build your own audience.

Your audience is your long-term equity. It determines whether you wait for mandates or mandates wait for you.

When I moved back to Germany after 20 years in South America, I started my consulting business with:

• 0 LinkedIn followers
• 0 Xing followers
• 0 experience with Experteer

Eleven years later, I launched my newsletter The Expert Shift.

My strongest advice:

• Start building your social presence and email list on day one.
• Build trust long before you make offers.

That’s not a marketing tactic.

It’s the foundation of your business.

5. The habits you practice daily

Discipline beats inspiration.

A clear rhythm — writing, networking, reflecting — is the invisible structure behind every successful consultant.

Not because they plan perfectly, but because they act consistently — even when no one’s watching.

They’re reliable. They deliver exactly what they used to expect from a great consultant themselves.

6. The curiosity you explore

Curiosity is what keeps you relevant. The world changes too fast to stand still.

New tools.

New models.

New challenges.

New opportunities.

New Partners.

New ideas.

Not all of them will fit, but every experiment keeps you alert and evolving. And valuable.

Final Thought

If you ask yourself where you could be in five years, you’ll realize that success never comes from a single breakthrough.

It comes from many small, conscious choices. You’ll become the sum of your clients, your conversations, your routines, and your curiosity.

So ask yourself:

What must I start doing today so that my future self will thank me for it?

PS: If you know someone just starting their consulting journey, share this newsletter with them. It might be the reminder they need today. 

Don't forget: your excuses are someone else's opportunities.