I've been consulting since 1995

I've been consulting since 1995. I started with a lot of different things (Web projects, Unix system administration, tech consulting), and now do 100% Python training. I am incredibly happy with my work. I get to do what I want, earn a good living, have almost zero meetings, and am constantly learning new things. But I made many, many mistakes along the way, leading to years of so-so income, limited sleep, and limited time with family. My biggest mistake was trying to do too many different things. By focusing on one type of problem, you'll gain expertise (useful when helping clients). But you'll also gain a reputation for solving those sorts of problems, and clients will start to find you. You still need to learn how to market yourself. You need to learn how to ask for money (which I found hard). You need to get a sense for who will stiff you (and some clients will!). Indeed, a big problem with many consultants is that they forget they're running a business. …