From Solo Consultant to Market Leader (5-Year Path)
From solo consultant to institutional advisory — the 5-year path from beachhead to market leadership.
Year 1: Beachhead Validation
Solo operator, 5 paying clients, 2 case studies, $180K revenue. Focus: Prove the model works. Build repeatable sales and delivery process. Generate first testimonials and case studies for proof.
Year 2: Adjacent Market Expansion
Hire first analyst/delivery person. Target 15-20 clients. Expand to 2 adjacent ICPs. Professionalize: Contracts, IP, process documentation. $400K revenue. Begin building referral network and strategic partnerships.
Year 3: Institutional Partnerships
2-3 team members. Pursue partnerships: APEX as formal partner, SBDC curriculum integration, reseller agreements with management consulting firms. 30-40 clients. $700K revenue. Build thought leadership and brand authority.
Year 4: Regional Scaling
Expand beyond Maryland: Virginia, DC, North Carolina. Team of 4-5. Recurring revenue model for SaaS platform. 60-80 clients. $1.2M revenue. Explore acquisition interest from larger consulting firms.
Year 5: Market Leadership
Established regional brand. 100+ clients. Multiple service tiers (platform, consulting, advisory). Consider: Acquisition, institutional raise, or sustained growth as profitable advisory firm. $2.5M revenue.