You need to be prepared to invest a lot of time into starting your own computer consulting business.  How can you be realistic about choosing the type of business that is right for you?

Franchises Are Not Guarantees

You might think that if you choose a computer consulting business that is a franchise, a lot of the work will be done for you.  While this is true with parts of the process, you still are going to have a lot of work to do.  For one, the franchiser is not giving you a pre-established client list.  If you want that, you will have to buy a current business, which can cost a lot of money.  Even if you buy a very small but thriving computer consulting firm, you can spend $300,000-$3 million dollars (or about that amount).  The amount will be a multiple of the annual sales.

What Are the Computer Consulting Start-Up Costs?

If you start your own computer consulting firm, you can do it for as little as a few thousand dollars.  You’ll basically need a business phone number and voicemail, a cell phone, business cards and legal licensing registrations.  And you’ll want to figure in the cost of meeting with an accountant and an attorney.  You will also need insurance.  A lot of times you can work out of your home office, which means less money.

Attention Control Freaks:  Steer Clear of Computer Consulting Franchises

When you buy a franchise, you give up some control.  You have to do things a certain way according to pre-set rules and regulations.  There is very little room for deviation.  Your company will be paying the franchiser a percentage of your revenue from now until … forever.  And you won’t get the same level of flexibility when it comes to taking your business in different directions as you would if you opened your own business.  

The Main Idea

Computer consulting has some start-up options:  starting an independent business; buying a franchise; buying an established business.  Ask yourself if you want to start from the ground, up or be handed a client list.  Just keep in mind that any start-from-scratch computer consulting business is more about time and sweat equity than money.

Added By:  Computer Consulting Kit