What I Wish I'd Known Before Starting My Higher Ed Consulting Business
by Claire L. Brady, EdD
Three years ago, I launched Glass Half Full Consulting with nearly three decades of experience in higher ed, a doctorate, a pretty extensive professional network, and a reasonable amount of confidence that I had something valuable to offer.
What I didn't have was much experience running a consulting business.
Turns out, those are two very different things.
After years of working inside colleges and universities, including serving as a vice president for student affairs, I knew how institutions worked. I understood leadership, organizational change, student success, strategic planning, and the complicated realities of getting things done in higher education. I had spent my career building teams, solving problems, navigating institutional politics, and developing people.
But knowing how to do the work and knowing how to build a business around that work are not the same thing.
As my company has grown, I've had the privilege of working with institutions and leaders across the country, increasingly focusing on AI strategy, governance, leadership development, and executive coaching. I've also learned an extraordinary amount about entrepreneurship, relationships, pricing, positioning, and the importance of building a business that actually fits the life you want to live.
In honor of those considering a similar path, here are a few things I wish someone had told me three years ago:
Your Experience Is Valuable But Your Business Model Is Something Else Entirely
One of the biggest transitions from institutional leadership to consulting is realizing that your professional expertise is only part of what you're selling. You also need to understand who needs that expertise, what problems they are willing to invest in solving, and how to communicate the value of your work. Early on, it's tempting to describe yourself by everything you've done. I certainly had plenty of experiences and credentials to draw from. But clients aren't purchasing your résumé. They're investing in your ability to help them accomplish something important.
My advice: Start by identifying two or three problems you are particularly well-positioned to help institutions or leaders solve. Then develop clear service offerings around those problems. Make it easy for someone to understand what you do, who you help, and what changes because of your involvement.
You Don't Have to Say Yes to Everything
When you're building a business, every inquiry feels exciting. Someone wants your expertise! Someone is willing to pay you! Someone thinks you can help! But not every opportunity is the right opportunity. I've become much more intentional about the work I accept. I typically take on only one or two complex, yearlong institutional engagements at a time, alongside speaking, facilitation, and a small executive coaching practice (no more than 5 senior leaders). That isn't because there aren't other interesting opportunities. It's because I've learned that doing excellent work requires capacity, and that building a sustainable business means making smart choices. I also won’t work with anyone who isn’t nice and who doesn’t treat me with respect.
My advice: Decide what kind of business you actually want before allowing your calendar to decide for you. Think about how much you want to travel, how many clients you can serve well, what kinds of projects energize you, and what you want your workweek to look like. Revenue matters, but so do your time, energy, reputation and family priorities.
Pricing Is About Value, Not Just Time
This was an important mindset shift for me. In higher ed, we're accustomed to salaries, budgets, and justifying expenditures. Consulting requires a different conversation. Clients aren't simply purchasing the hours you spend in a workshop or coaching session. They're benefiting from the decades of experience, judgment, preparation, relationships, and expertise you bring to the engagement. That doesn't mean every consultant should charge premium rates immediately, or that pricing should be disconnected from the market. It means you need to understand your costs, your value, and the outcomes you're helping clients achieve.
My advice: Develop a pricing framework before your first serious inquiry. Account for preparation, delivery, follow-up, travel, business expenses, taxes, and the time you spend running the business itself. And practice discussing your fees without apologizing for them.
Your Network Matters. Your Relationships Matter More.
I was fortunate to enter consulting with a substantial professional network. But I've learned that relationships are not simply a source of potential clients. They're also a source of learning, collaboration, referrals, encouragement, and honest feedback. Some of my most meaningful opportunities have emerged from conversations rather than formal business development. And some of the most valuable relationships I've developed are with other consultants and coaches who understand the peculiar joys and challenges of this work. Which brings me to something I feel particularly strongly about.
My advice: Invest in relationships long before you need something from them. Stay connected to former colleagues, show up in professional communities, share your expertise generously, and look for opportunities to connect people with one another. Don't approach every conversation as a potential sale. Your reputation is built over years, and the relationships that sustain your business will often be the ones you've nurtured without expecting anything in return.
Find Your People. Better Yet, Build Community With Them.
One of the best parts of my consulting journey has been co-founding the Association for Higher Education Consulting and Coaching (AHECC) alongside Dr. Josie Ahlquist and Dr, Meghan Grace. We recognized that higher ed consultants and coaches needed a professional community of their own. A place to ask questions, share resources, learn from experienced colleagues, build relationships, and navigate the realities of independent practice without having to figure everything out alone.
What I appreciate most about AHECC is that it brings together people at different stages of their journeys. Some are building their first practices, while experienced professionals are refining established businesses, expanding their services, or exploring new ways to collaborate. Through professional development, peer conversations, shared resources, and opportunities to connect, members can learn about everything from pricing and proposals to business development, client relationships, and sustainable practice. And perhaps most importantly, they can be generous with one another. I've found that some of the best consultants & coaches are also the most willing to share what they've learned.
My advice: Don't wait until your business is established to find a professional community. Join conversations, ask questions, learn from people whose businesses look different from the one you're imagining, and be willing to contribute your own experiences along the way.
If You're Thinking About Making the Leap, Start Here
You don't need a perfect website, an elaborate business plan, or a dozen service offerings to begin exploring consulting or coaching. You do need to be thoughtful about what you're building and why.
I'd encourage aspiring consultants and coaches to start with five practical steps:
Define your expertise and audience. What problems are you uniquely qualified to help solve, and who has the authority and resources to engage you?
Talk to potential clients. Have conversations with institutional leaders about their challenges before assuming you know what they need.
Build your business foundation. Learn about contracts, insurance, taxes, pricing, proposals, and the administrative responsibilities that come with working independently.
Test a focused offering. Start with a clearly defined workshop, assessment, coaching engagement, or consulting project rather than trying to offer everything at once.
Find a community. Connect with people who understand both higher education and the business of consulting and coaching. You will learn faster, make better decisions, and probably enjoy the journey more.
Three Years Later, I'm Still Learning
When I started Glass Half Full Consulting, I knew I wanted to continue contributing to higher ed, but I also wanted the freedom to work differently. I wanted to be selective about the projects I accepted, work with leaders who were ready to think bigger, and use my experience to help institutions navigate complicated challenges. Three years later, I've built a business that allows me to do those things. I've also discovered new professional interests, developed wonderful relationships, and found opportunities I couldn't have anticipated when I started. And I'm still learning. About business, about leadership, about the evolving needs of higher ed, and about myself.
If you're considering consulting or coaching, I hope you'll give yourself permission to explore the possibility thoughtfully. You don't have to have everything figured out before you begin, but you should be intentional about what you're building.
And if you're looking for colleagues who can help you navigate that journey, I hope you'll explore AHECC. We're building the kind of professional community I wish I'd had when I started.
Because building an independent practice doesn't have to mean building it alone.
Image created using ChatGPT
