Subcontractors give up 10-20% of their earnings. Independent consultants control their income. Which one are you?
Many consultants find work through staffing agencies or by subcontracting under other consultants. Nothing wrong with that, but I often hear two big frustrations:
1️⃣ You lose 10-20% of your revenue to middlemen.
2️⃣ You have little control over the work you do because you rely on them for engagements.
The irony?
The freedom and choice you wanted when you went independent disappear. It starts to feel like a full-time job again.
But when you learn to land clients on your own, you can get:
✅ Higher revenues – You bill clients directly and keep more of what you earn.
✅ Leverage – You can still do some delivery work but subcontract parts of it to others.
✅ Control – You choose the clients and engagements that fit you best.
Despite these potential benefits, many subcontractors hesitate to take the direct route, saying things like:
❌ “Client acquisition is costly”. Yes it does takes time and investment. But you’re already paying 10-20% to agencies – so there’s a cost either way.
❌ “I don’t know what prospecting approaches work”. The truth is, there’s no magic bullet. Even if you hire a coach or advisor, you’ll need to experiment and refine your approach. A coach or advisor can show you proven playbooks that have worked for others and get you unstuck faster, but you need to try different approaches and see what works best for you.
❌ “I don’t have time.” You do – you’re just spending it in the wrong places (see the post I wrote earlier about this – link in the comments).
❌ “What if I fail?” If you try it and don’t feel it is for you, you can always go back to subcontracting or sourcing new engagements through staffing agencies. But if you’re frustrated and don’t try it, you may regret it down the road.
The raw truth is, there’s no right or wrong choice – just a decision. If you prefer stability over control, continue using middlemen.
But if you feel stuck being dependent on others and want more out of your independent consulting business, you simply have to make the decision to jump in, learn different approaches and make it work.
Ready to add $100k-$500k revenue to your consulting business in 12 months or less without burning out? Schedule a call and let me show you how.
Image credit: Dalle-3
