I saw a few of my colleagues jump ship at our company to start consulting, saw them being successful at it, and knew that there was a ready market for consulting in my niche. Our company's level of service had slipped significantly, and lots of clients needed expertise that consultants could provide. I also knew that the hourly bill rate was several times what my salary was, and also knew a few marketing channels where I could tap into clients.

I remember getting my first check for consulting, and thinking, "Holy crap! They paid me this much to do something so easy?!" I was hooked.

Since then, I've grown my business every year--even during the crazy recession--and QUADRUPLED my income.

I'll never go back to a "real" job again.

Greg Milates
StartMyConsultingBusiness dot com