Picture this: You're sitting at your desk, contemplating the leap into AI consulting. Maybe you're a seasoned ML engineer looking to transition from contractor to consultant, or perhaps you've been building AI products and want to branch out independently. Whatever brought you here, you're wondering how to transform your technical expertise into a thriving consulting practice.
I want to share something that completely changed my consulting business: writing consistently.
Last month, a founder reached out saying, "I don't know who you are, but your blog posts keep showing up in our team's Slack. Are you available to help us?"
Two days later, we closed a $140,000 deal (for a 3-month project). Only 3 sales calls were needed.
This wasn't luck – it was the compound effect of putting words on the page every single day.
Picture this: Four AI engineers walk out of some big tech office, maybe its layoffs, or burn out, or the golden handcuffs, but they're finally free. Fast forward one year, and their paths couldn't be more different.
Engineer 1 went the traditional freelance route. He's making $300 an hour, meticulously tracking every minute, and constantly hearing he's "too expensive." Yet, he's always scrambling for the next gig.
Engineer 2 dove into the startup world. She's now a VC-backed founder, drowning in pitch decks and investor meetings. Sure, the TechCrunch headlines are nice, but she hasn't had a good night's sleep in months, constantly worrying about runway and growth metrics.
Engineer 3 became an indie hacker. He's over the moon about hitting $2,000 in Monthly Recurring Revenue with his AI product. It's a great start, but he's realizing that building the product was just the beginning. Now he's grappling with the challenges of distribution and marketing, discovering that these skills are just as crucial as his technical expertise.
And then there's me, Engineer 4. I'm writing this from a business class seat on my way to San Francisco, closing a six-figure deal with a client. But that's just the tip of the iceberg.
As an AI consultant, I've built a personal brand, grown an audience, and mastered marketing and distribution - all while confidently selling my expertise. I've made friends with VCs, hosted dinners for industry leaders, and built a network that spans the tech world.
The best part? I've got $500K sitting in my business account, deployed 100k in angel investments and have paid my friends 100s of 1000s of dollars to work together and on projects we love. If I ever decide to start a company, raise money, or build a product, I've already developed all the skills I need - plus the cash to get started.
It wasn't talent or hard work. We're all putting in the hours. The difference was in how we chose to leverage our AI skills in this booming market.
That's why I created the "Indie AI Consultant" newsletter. In just 10 days I share one email with you, the reader. It's packed with insights and strategies that I've learned from my own experience.
About those four AI engineers I mentioned earlier: we all had the same starting point, but our paths diverged dramatically. The difference? Knowledge about how to turn AI skills into a profitable consulting business that offers both freedom and financial success.
I can't promise you'll be flying business class next month if you join. But I can guarantee you'll find it packed with actionable insights to launch your consulting career - and potentially never worry about hourly rates, investor pressure, or how to price your services ever again.
Just enter your email below to get started, you'll get an email from me every 10 days or so, and I'll see you on the inside.
I remember stories about the tech booms of past decades. In the late 1990s, the web revolution began. Teenagers who knew HTML were earning thousands per project, building websites for local businesses. In the late 2000s, a similar trend emerged with mobile apps. Young developers were profiting from creating applications for smartphones.
"This is the future," people would say. Many were skeptical about how these basic websites or simple apps could change anything. We know how those predictions turned out.
Now, in 2024, I'm feeling the same way about AI freelancers and consultants. But this time, I'm not skeptical. I believe we're at the start of something significant, a change that will surpass the web and mobile revolutions in its impact.
Here's why:
It always goes this way. Someone will try teaching you a parable or life story, but you never really understand it until you have to experience it yourself. Some call this ‘learning things the hard way.’ Some call this life. Now, folks always told me that consulting was either a feast or famine, which sounds straightforward, but it turns out I didn’t really know what this meant until I had to deal with Chase.
Earlier this year, for reasons that are still not fully known to me, and despite my existing relationship with Chase (dating back to my first job out of university over a decade ago!), Chase froze $180,000 of my money without warning. This left me scrambling to pay employees and nearly derailed my business—all without explanation. It was a major wake-up call not just for me but for any entrepreneur. The importance of diversifying your banking and choosing financial partners that actually support small businesses has never been more important.
I've enjoyed writing about my indie consulting process and marketing strategy. Today, I want to share some insights on how to master the art of referrals, especially when you're asking for them and following up.
As I've shared insights on building a consulting practice, marketing strategies, and referral techniques, I've realized there's so much more to discuss about the world of AI consulting. This post aims to consolidate everything I've learned, building upon the foundation laid in my previous articles. Whether you're just starting out or looking to refine your approach, this comprehensive guide will provide valuable insights into the consulting process, from positioning yourself as an expert to closing high-value deals. For those interested in the tools that support my consulting work, don't forget to check out my article on the consulting stack I use.
These insights are drawn from my extensive experience, including a livestream I conducted on the topic. If you're interested in the original discussion, you can find the YouTube live stream here.
As an indie consultant, having the right tools can make or break your business. Over the years, I've refined my "consulting stack" - a collection of software and services that keep my operations smooth and professional. This post is an extension of my thoughts on AI consulting and freelancing in the AI gold rush.
In this guide, I'll share the key components of my stack and why they matter. Whether you're just starting out or looking to optimize your existing practice, these tools can help streamline your operations and enhance your professional image. I'll cover everything from setting up your business foundation to essential software for day-to-day operations.
By the end, you'll have a comprehensive todo list for setting up your business foundation and implementing your own consulting stack. This advice stems from my personal experience and lessons learned from AI consulting, aimed at helping you avoid common pitfalls and accelerate your success in the consulting world.
I've enjoyed writing about my indie consulting process. Today, I want to share some insights on marketing, positioning, and scaling my consulting business. This post builds on my previous discussions about referrals and the tools I use, focusing on how I've grown my practice through strategic marketing efforts.
As a former MLE, I had always relied on my hands-on coding skills to excel in my career. However, a hand injury forced me to adapt and pivot towards consulting. In this essay, I share my journey of becoming a successful AI consultant and the lessons I've learned about marketing, positioning, and scaling my business.
How can I help? Do you know anyone that could use my help? Do you know anyone that could use my services?
These are all examples of exceptionally low agency questions. Not only is it difficult to answer the question, you subject your victim to a lot of additional work and thinking in their busy day.
It's like seeing your mom sweating away busy cooking, chopping vegetables and asking "How can I help?" It's a lot of work to manage you, and it's a lot of work to think about what you can do. Now she has to consider what's in your ability, what the unfinished work is, and prioritize that versus the other.
This post is my simple framework on how I ask.