Am I too young to be an independent consultant?

At WEEM, we're seeing a trend towards younger and younger consultants becoming self-employed. It's a choice that makes sense, because their profile is sought after by customers. So, at what age and with what experience can you become an independent consultant?

Louis-Jean's feedback

For a glimpse into the real life of a young independent consultant, nothing beats the testimony of one of them. Meet Louis-Jean, a member of the WEEM community, who has been working as an independent consultant for four years, after two years in a strategy firm.

Why did you decide to go freelance after your experience in a strategy consulting firm?

To finance my business project with the freedom to choose my customers.

After two years at BCG, I wanted to devote myself to more digital subjects. However, I didn't work directly as a freelance consultant. So I took a few months off to learn how to code and build my first application. I then found a job in the insurance industry, which led to the creation of a start-up. I became a consultant on the side to finance my lifestyle while developing my business. I love this job because of its diverse range of issues. In fact, I have a great sense of service and I get a lot out of bringing projects to a successful conclusion with customers.

What do you like about your life as an independent consultant?

I particularly enjoy choosing the assignments I carry out.

I can accept or refuse clients, my assignments, my daily rate or even the number of days I work per week. Although there's no such thing as a perfect assignment, I really appreciate this freedom of choice!

For example, I recently moved house. I was able to visit apartments and prepare for this change of life with peace of mind, while still having assignments. I'd never have been able to do that in my office.

How do you choose which assignments to take on?

My two key criteria: quality of personal relationships and interest in the subject.

Before accepting an assignment, I try to understand as concretely as possible how it will unfold on a day-to-day basis. I then assess whether it's within my capabilities. If an assignment arises for which I have little or no experience, I say so transparently. I also bring a fresh perspective and a structured approach. This complements the business expertise of client, which often makes for a fruitful collaboration. I think it's vital to get on well with client . That's another advantage of working with people like WEEM. They know me well, so they can position me in contexts that appeal to me. I think this contributes greatly to positive results. My aim is always to exceed client 's expectations. So far, all my assignments have been systematically extended.

Setting up on your own can be scary. What was it like for you?

The first fear when you're self-employed, and it's a legitimate one, is not having assignments.

Several weeks without missions

Being a freelancer sometimes means going several weeks without a long assignment. Even if the market is dynamic, I don't always know what I'm going to do in the medium term. So it's important to be prepared for the next three months. This is something that all freelancers face, and it's something that can be smoothed out over the long term, as it only takes a mission of several weeks to regain some room for maneuver. Once these material considerations have been taken into account, the important thing is to get to know each other. For some, these less active periods are hard to bear. Others have the discipline to use them for business development, training or an entrepreneurial project. Platforms are also a way of finding assignments and reducing these periods.

A different kind of learning

A second issue, when compared to life in the office, is learning. Nowadays, I don't always work as part of a team, so I can't take advantage of more senior partners as I used to in the office. I develop in a different way, by working with clients who are often very senior, and by working with them on assignments that are always new.

For me, the balance is very positive, because I have the quality of life I wanted and time for myself. I work on assignments that I like and that I choose, very often digital-related, and I'm developing my business at the same time.

"The important thing is to have acquired a certain ability to work independently and experience to show for it, whether it's a few years in a consulting firm, or entrepreneurial experience that will reassure client and make it clear what value the collaboration will bring. "

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