Have you ever wondered what life could look like outside the 9–5?

Senior HR Professional (In-House)

Key Issues: Reactive workload, limited autonomy, no time for creativity

HR Consultant

Key Benefits: More control, varied work, strategic focus, better work/life balance

How to Become an HR Consultant – 5 Key Steps

Thinking about making the leap? Here’s how to get started:

1. Define Your Niche
   Decide what kind of a lifsteyle you want.What are you known for? Focus on your strengths – whether it’s employee relations, culture change, or fractional HR leadership.

2. Clarify Your Ideal Client
   Do you want to work with SMEs, scale-ups, or larger organisations? Knowing this helps you position your services and price confidently.

3. Get the Right Tools
   Set up your essentials – business structure, website, contracts, insurance, and tech tools to keep things simple and professional.

4. Build Visibility
   Share your expertise on LinkedIn, connect with your network, and showcase how you help. Consistency builds credibility.

5. Join a Supportive Community
   Going it alone doesn’t mean being alone. Surround yourself with mentors, fellow consultants, and business development support.We have a great community you can join too!

Final Thoughts

Becoming an HR Consultant is not just a career move – it’s a lifestyle upgrade.

If you're craving more flexibility, purpose, and ownership in your career, consulting could be your perfect next step. You already have the experience. Now it's time to use it on your own terms.

Ready to Get Started?

We’ve supported over 250 HR professionals to launch successful consulting businesses – and we can help you too.

🟣 Grab your copy of our best-selling book: Leap into HR Consulting
🟣 Join our Virtual Bootcamp: Learn how to launch and grow with confidence
🟣 Explore The HR Consultancy Academy: Be part of a thriving community of consultants

💬 Still exploring? Let’s talk. Book a free Discovery Call and take the first step toward your new future.

Let’s Have an Honest Conversation About Becoming an HR Consultant

Your personal brand

A strong LinkedIn profile, clear website, and real case studies build trust — and trust increases your rates.

Don’t forget to follow us on Eventbrite for upcoming free webinars and live sessions. More events are being added soon.

How to Set Up a HR Consultancy Business Using the 5C’s Corporate to Consulting Model

If you’ve been searching for how to set up a HR consultancy business or asking yourself how to start your own HR consulting business, you’re not alone. Every year, more HR professionals consider stepping away from corporate life to embrace freedom, flexibility, and fulfilment through consultancy.

But knowing how to start a human resource consulting business and do it successfully can feel overwhelming. That’s why I created the 5C’s Corporate to Consulting Model, a proven methodology designed to fast-track your move into consulting and help you build a sustainable, fulfilling business from day one.

Why Most Struggle When Starting an HR Consulting Business

When you're starting an HR consulting business, it’s easy to rush into creating a website or branding yourself as a generalist in hopes of attracting any kind of work. But this approach often leads to wasted time, money, and energy.

What I’ve found, working with hundreds of consultants, is that many lack clarity in:

• What they want to offer

• Who they want to serve

• The real problems they’re solving

That’s why the 5C’s Model is so effective. It helps consultants avoid common pitfalls and build with purpose, strategy, and confidence.

The 5C’s Model: From Corporate to Consulting

This step-by-step model will help you gain clarity, build visibility, and create momentum in your business journey.

1. Confidence – The Strengths Finder

The journey begins with building confidence in yourself. You explore your attributes, strengths, values and experience to understand how you can serve clients and stand out in a crowded market. This stage sets the foundation for all future business decisions.

2. Clarity – The Expert Elevator

Here, we dig deep into who your ideal client is, how you will package and price your services, and how this all connects to your lifestyle goals. This is where your offers are aligned with the kind of business you want to build.

3. Credibility – The Presence Platform

Once you’re clear on your niche and services, we help you develop your visibility and brand presence. This includes auditing your LinkedIn profile, building a strong online presence, and creating valuable content to position yourself as an expert.

4. Collaboration – The Income Generator

Growth doesn’t happen in isolation. This stage focuses on how to collaborate, outsource, or build partnerships that help you generate more income without burning out. It’s also about expanding your reach and network effectively.

5. Courage – The Action Accountability Plan

The final step is about taking action and staying accountable. This includes building habits, using smart tech tools, managing your time effectively, and tapping into our Accountability Community Groups for ongoing support.

Tools Needed to Start an HR Consulting Business

If you’re starting your own HR consulting business or wondering about the tools needed to start an HR consulting business, the 5C’s framework gives you:

• Proposal and pricing templates

• Personalised roadmaps

• Visibility and marketing checklists

• Ongoing support from our community

• Confidence-boosting coaching

Whether you’re setting up HR consultancy business from scratch or looking to scale, this model will help you do it in the right order, with the right tools and support.

Join Our Next Webinar

If you’ve been wondering:

How to start my own HR consulting business

Then join us for our next free webinar, where I’ll walk you through the 5C’s Corporate to Consulting Model and show you exactly how to make your move into consulting with clarity, courage, and confidence.

👉 Reserve your place now