Set up as self employed consultant??

summer1979

Hi, could anyone please give me some advice on how to set up as a self employed consultant. I have around 10 years of events experience in a local authority. But in light of the recent cuts to jobs, if I am the next in the firing line, I want to set up as an events consultant and start the ball rolling for this sooner rather than later. I have no clue where to start though~??

Yorkie1

I guess the first things are to a) check that there aren't any clauses in your employment contract which prevent you from essentially becoming a competitor to your employer [can't remember the name of the clauses at this time on a Saturday night], and b) start getting your contacts list together.

There are often local agencies which offer advice and assistance to start-ups. I imagine that you will need funds to start up, and to do a business plan.

snowcat53

The actual process is very simple - I did this 10 years ago coming out of the NHS. Unless you need capital you don't need a business plan (unless it's for your own benefit and clarity about what you are going to do re finding clients, target income etc). Just register with the tax office as self employed. There is other stuff about arranging to pay class 4(?) NICs, considering income protection pooilcy , etc. Get some advice. Get some free busness cards from vistaprint. Get an accountant if you wish, they can offer useful tips, but you may be able to do accounts and tax return yourself once you understand it

Good luck!

Savvy_Sue

on the small biz board you'd find more general advice on start-ups, but we have someone who's been doing this for a few years, and it's a lean market atm.

paddyrg

Your most valuable asset will be your clients - if your main client was the council (they employed you to do just this, I imagine), then you're going to be client-free if they don't take you freelance!

That said, do some research - the council may be happy to let you go freelance as they have a huge overhead on internal accounting figures for FTE's, so it will be a saving on paper - then you go to all your suppliers, tell them you've gone freelance and want to start getting better rates than you did for the council, maybe someone will offer you some. Also, think about what your council experience and contacts can offer to local events companies - if you can liaise with traffic, licensing, safety, fire, police, etc., it may be a good service to offer your competition as a consultant.