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Monday 22nd February 2021

How to build a consultancy during a crisis

By Advita Patel,

I’m a relative newcomer to the world of freelance and consultancy.

I launched my business CommsRebel with such enthusiasm in January 2020, and then a couple of months later, a global pandemic hit. I’ve always had an entrepreneurial spirit. I grew up in a house where both my parents ran their own business, so even though I never grew up with ‘office talk’, I knew my way around a business plan.

However, the global pandemic was on another level, and even the most experienced businesses were struggling.

I also launched A Leader Like Me in 2020, a programme I created with my co-founder Priya Bates to help underrepresented people progress in their careers. I had to be intentional in everything I did with two new businesses because, like many other freelancers, I wasn’t eligible for a single penny from the government.

For CommsRebel, I had to ‘pivot’ (the word of 2020) and think hard about how to make my business a success without relying too heavily on my ‘warm leads’ some who had to retract offer of work due to budget issues. I know there were quite a few experienced freelancers in the same boat, and I worried about making my mark with only six weeks of consultancy experience.

But once the panic subsided, I focussed on what I needed to do to build a reputable brand and this is when I recognised the power of personal branding.

I know personal branding a bit of a buzz phrase, and some folks think it’s nonsense as it’s just another trend. I disagree. But if it helps, think of it as personal reputation – a phrase I heard mentioned by one of my ALLMe crew members in A Leader Like Me.

I’ll talk more about this, some other tips and the pitfalls to avoid on April 20, along with Nigel Sarbutts, at the Freelancer? Making A Success Of Your Freelance Career session. At this event we will explore how we have adapted to life during Covid-19 and look at differentiation, promoting yourself, managing the money, legal stuff and much more.

Grab your spot: http://bit.ly/36Fh9Iq.