21 Business Consultant Success Stories [2024]
Business consultants serve as professional advisors who help companies achieve their goals or to streamline operations in a particular business area.
Business consulting is big business. Experts project the demand for consultants to keep increasing in the coming years. Therefore, becoming a certified business consultant can be rewarding.
To become a business consultant, you need a bachelor’s degree and expertise in a specific area. Are you ready to start your business consulting career and develop a professional network and web presence to help you connect with clients?
In this list, you'll find real-world business consultant success stories and very profitable examples of starting a business consultant that makes money.
1. The Pedowitz Group ($18M/year)
Jeff and Cherie started The Pedowitz Group in 2007, leveraging their expertise in sales and marketing. They saw an opportunity to provide consulting services in the digital marketing space and quickly gained momentum through word-of-mouth and industry referrals. Today, they have achieved over $20 million in annual revenue and continue to focus on growth and providing excellent service to their clients.
How much money it makes: $18M/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 100
Pedowitz Group, a $20M+ consulting agency, shares the story of how they grew their business by prioritizing customer retention/loyalty, being platform-agnostic, and focusing on strong results aligned with clients' key business objectives.
2. Dabdoub Law Firm ($9M/year)
Edward Dabdoub, leveraging his family's legal background, found his calling in disability insurance law during law school. After winning a life-changing case for a client, he launched Dabdoub Law Firm, now generating $500,000-$700,000 monthly.
How much money it makes: $9M/year
How much did it cost to start: $250K
How many people on the team: 22
A disability insurance law firm founder saw sustained growth from $100,000 to $500,000-$700,000 fees per month, serving 200+ clients yearly, through a client-focused model emphasizing quality work and nationwide representation with online reviews, tracking of leads, and a dedicated marketing strategy.
3. Cognota ($6M/year)
Ryan Austin's lightbulb moment came when he realized that corporate L&D teams manage a staggering $320 billion in spending without a dedicated operating system, leading him to create Cognota to streamline their workflows and improve productivity.
How much money it makes: $6M/year
How much did it cost to start: $500K
How many people on the team: 40
Cognota is a learning technology company that has developed an operating system specifically for corporate learning and development (L&D) teams, streamlining their workflows and providing valuable insights for increased productivity. Despite facing challenges and taking longer than expected to launch, the company has experienced steady revenue growth and customer satisfaction, positioning itself as a leader in the industry.
4. Assuras ($5.2M/year)
Tyler King, the serial entrepreneur and CEO of Assuras, came up with the idea for his consulting firm through his previous ventures in technology and executive coaching. He combined his learnings from engaging with leaders in his prior venture and his education from leading institutions to form Assuras, a global management consulting firm that takes on complex challenges and provides impactful solutions for its clients. With a focus on cross-functional teams and innovative approaches, Assuras has tripled its market share within its first two years.
How much money it makes: $5.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.2M
How many people on the team: 27
Assuras, a global management consulting firm that focuses on solving impactful challenges for growth-stage companies with 500-2000 employees, successfully tripled their market share in their initial two years from inception by building cross-functional, diverse teams that provide alternative ways of looking at problems and offering risk-free consulting and action plans with clients who commit to implementing their recommendations.
5. HelloFuture ($3.52M/year)
Kalaboukis, a futurist and innovator, always dreamt of living in the future and creating it. After realizing that people's fear of change is what holds them back from embracing innovation, he started hellofuture to provide tools, workshops, and coaching to help individuals and companies innovate without fear. With revenues of around $293k per month and a portfolio of 122 patents, Kalaboukis is helping others create their ideal future.
How much money it makes: $3.52M/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 2
A futurist and innovator has built a business strategy consulting company with revenues of around $293k per month by helping companies increase revenues and patent portfolios, and generate employee engagement, using a set of tools, workshops, and coaching to move people from their comfort zones, with a highly structured process for lead generation that he considers a trade secret.
6. Innovolo Ltd ($2.4M/year)
Bradley Pallister, co-founder and Head of Innovation at Innovolo, came up with the idea for the business after recognizing the need for an innovation and product development consultancy that could help B2B clients create a culture of innovation. With their flagship product, Unlimited Innovation-as-a-Service, Innovolo offers business owners a cost-effective solution to bring in an external innovation team tailored to their needs, resulting in accelerated product development and a fast turnaround time, as seen with one client's product being expedited from eight months to six weeks. With an impressive revenue forecast of £2.4 million this year, Innovolo is poised to disrupt the remote product development space.
How much money it makes: $2.4M/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 12
Innovolo, an innovation and product development consultancy, went from offering fixed-sum product development to providing product development chain management with a unique program called Unlimited Innovation-as-a-Service, shortening their client's product expedited time significantly, and increasing revenue astronomically since their launch in 2018.
7. Spencer Patterson ($1.68M/year)
Spencer Patterson, an ex-financial broker turned product developer, launched a paywall platform in 2019 initially to streamline his own content operations. Seeing its potential as an alternative to Patreon, he monetized the bootstrapped SaaS to $125,000 - $142,000 MRR, ultimately selling it for $3.5M on Flippa.
How much money it makes: $1.68M/year
How much did it cost to start: $6K
How many people on the team: 1
This case study is about a founder who launched a paywall platform for content creators in 2019, bootstrapping it from $0 and eventually selling it for $3.5M on Flippa, with the platform generating between $125,000 - $142,000 in Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) on 95% margins.
8. Minor Workshop ($1.44M/year)
Paul discovered his business idea while working at an e-commerce company in 2012, where he transformed team efficiency using Asana, leading to a validating bonus from his employer. This insight into productivity tools eventually grew into a consulting business that now generates $90,000 monthly.
How much money it makes: $1.44M/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 1
This case study article showcases the success story of Paul, who built a profitable consulting business focused on Asana and Pipedrive, generating around $90,000 in monthly sales from consulting and subscription fees, with a margin of 80% and a customer base ranging from solo operators to big enterprise clients.
9. Emirabiz ($1.2M/year)
Elena and Andrew, the founders of Emirabiz, came up with the idea for their business after seeing a huge demand for business incorporation in the UAE market. They noticed that many consultants in the industry were unprofessional and dishonest, so they aimed to provide better quality services with transparent pricing. Through Google Ads and SEO optimization, they were able to attract and retain customers, reaching an average monthly revenue of over $200K.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $5.5K
How many people on the team: 15
Emirabiz, a business consultancy company in Dubai, has grown to 15 full-time employees and boasts an average monthly revenue of over $200k USD by offering transparent pricing and being customer-oriented in assisting people in their business registration in UAE, a country that has seen a huge demand for business incorporation.
10. FinCon ($1M/year)
Philip Taylor, a CPA and personal finance blogger, came up with the idea for FinCon after being inspired by personal finance bloggers who had achieved financial freedom. He saw a need for a conference tailored specifically for personal finance content creators and brands, and after receiving overwhelming interest from the community, he launched the first Financial Blogger Conference in Chicago in 2011.
How much money it makes: $1M/year
How much did it cost to start: $25
How many people on the team: 4
Discover how Philip Taylor built FinCon from scratch to a 3,000 attendee annual conference and achieved $1.6M in revenue in less than 10 years, by allowing customers to help build the event, fostering a sense of community, expanding offerings, pricing strategically, and surrounding himself with talented people.
11. World Renowned Coaching & Consulting ($576K/year)
Neal Oates, Jr. identified a growing demand for coaching and consulting services in the real estate sector and launched World Renowned Coaching and Consulting in 2022. By leveraging his luxury real estate experience, Neal turned his business into a $48,000/month enterprise that serves nine different industries.
How much money it makes: $576K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1.2K
How many people on the team: 0
Case study about the founder building a successful coaching and consulting business generating $48,000 monthly, expanding from real estate to service-based businesses in nine industries, with growth for three consecutive quarters.
12. BRCHN Design House ($480K/year)
Sam Birchenough, driven by a childhood passion for building and taking things apart, founded BRCHN Design House in 2015, enduring six months of zero income and $35,000 in debt before turning the business into a success, with current monthly revenues between $20,000 and $80,000.
How much money it makes: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 1
This case study outlines how BRCHN Design House went from starting with no revenue to bringing in $20,000 to $80,000 monthly, by developing an efficient product design process, leveraging networking opportunities, and retaining clients through exceptional service.
13. CJAM Marketing ($312K/year)
While dining with a colleague, Behdad "Bee" Jamshidi was astounded by a friend's mention of someone earning over $50k monthly from SEO for dentists. Intrigued by passive income, Bee transitioned from his lucrative engineering career to founding CJAM Marketing, which generated $430,000 CAD in 2023.
How much money it makes: $312K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2K
How many people on the team: 0
Matchmaker solves marketing puzzle for businesses, profits over $430k CAD in one year, connects companies with vetted agencies at an 80% success rate.
14. SolutionBuggy ($240K/year)
Arjun Bharadwaj, Founder & CEO of SolutionBuggy, came up with the idea for his business after recognizing the dearth of skill sets in the MSME segment of the manufacturing industry. In 2016, he conceptualized the platform and launched it in 2018, aiming to digitize the MSME consulting space in India using AI technology. Today, SolutionBuggy is the largest manufacturing consulting platform in India, with over 50,000 industries and 10,000+ experts registered on the platform.
How much money it makes: $240K/year
How much did it cost to start: $0
How many people on the team: 30
SolutionBuggy is an AI-based manufacturing consulting platform, providing end-to-end solutions for entrepreneurs looking to start the manufacturing industry, having completed over 2000 projects with 50,000 industries and 10,000+ experts registered on their platform, and planning to expand with 20 million registered MSMEs and 300,000 consultants in the next few years.
15. The Profit Finder ($168K/year)
Disillusioned by repeated failures from hired marketing experts, Brian Carmody tripled his company's revenue and expanded from 1 to 48 states by employing his own strategies. This sparked the idea for The Profit Finders, now generating up to $15k monthly.
How much money it makes: $168K/year
How much did it cost to start: $3K
How many people on the team: 1
Case Study: Founder of The Profit Finders tripled revenue, expanded to 48 states, and lowered break-even by 70%, using specific strategies and a proprietary software built on 1 billion weighted algorithms.
16. Simply Hudson ($84K/year)
based on Simply Hudson's core values and vision. By offering strategic advising and process design services, along with additional public speaking packages and online business development courses, Simply Hudson attracts and retains customers by providing tangible and effective solutions for their businesses. The company's focus on simplicity, effectiveness, sustainability, integrity, and trust resonates with clients, leading to meaningful and impactful results.
How much money it makes: $84K/year
How much did it cost to start: $16K
How many people on the team: 0
Simply Hudson, a process design and strategic advising company, has saved over 800 manual work hours and $80,000 in annual overhead costs through designing streamlined, semi-automated processes for their fully remote, globally distributed team.
17. Gabriel Neuman ($72K/year)
Gabriel Neuman, a successful WordPress developer, realized the need for individuals and enterprises to create and monetize their personal brands. He decided to productize his expertise and create a Personal Brand OS, aiming to double his monthly recurring revenue and grow his consulting and affiliate income. With his innovative approach, Gabriel plans to attract more customers by providing value-added services and content.
How much money it makes: $72K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 3
Gabriel Neuman founded a Personal Brand Marketing Agency in 2020, earning around $15k per month at present, with plans to double the MRR in 2021 through the creation of his new product “Personal Brand OS,” having validated his idea by creating small examples for 3 actual customers.
18. Up The Gains ($67.2K/year)
While deep in debt, Sammie Ellard-King had a spark during a candid conversation with friends in Vietnam; months later, he'd self-taught his way to financial freedom and launched 'Up the Gains,' aiming to demystify personal finance for beginners.
How much money it makes: $67.2K/year
How much did it cost to start: $25K
How many people on the team: 3
Up the Gains Founder Sammie Ellard-King managed to turn a side hustle from her spare bedroom into a profitable content site in the crowded personal finance market, growing from zero to 44k page views monthly in under a year, with current revenue levels at £4.5k profit per month and forecasting £147,000 in revenue over the next 12 months.
19. Emerging Humanity ($60K/year)
Christos Kritikos, the founder of Emerging Humanity, came up with the idea for his business through his extensive experience as a technology solutions consultant for small businesses. With a passion for humanity and society, he realized that there was a need for a better way to support and empower entrepreneurs. Through structured programs, educational content, and hands-on help, Emerging Humanity aims to help impact-driven entrepreneurs launch successful products and become fundable.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How much did it cost to start: $30K
How many people on the team: 0
Emerging Humanity offers accelerator programs, entrepreneur courses, startup tools, and hands-on services that help impact-driven entrepreneurs launch successful products and become fundable, having helped over 50 founders/entrepreneurs from developing parts of the world within the past three to four years.
20. Quintessential Performance ($54K/year)
Ashley, the founder of Quintessential Performance, came up with the idea for their human performance agency after spending 23 years in the military and observing the importance of performance psychology in achieving goals. They validated their ideas through pro-bono work and developed their unique services and solutions, such as consulting, performance coaching, learning and development, and experiential events. After returning from deployment, Ashley registered the business and bootstrapped their online profiles to launch the business.
How much money it makes: $54K/year
How much did it cost to start: $2K
How many people on the team: 3
Quintessential Performance is a human performance agency focused on building peak-performing individuals, teams, and organizations, with bespoke organizational development projects lasting 3-5 years, a variety of tailored coaching programs, and a commitment to growing slowly and steadily by aligning with clients who share their values and ethics.
21. Enter Network ($18K/year)
Jochem Gerritsen came up with the idea for Enter Network when he realized that he was having difficulty connecting with other entrepreneurs to learn from. He started hosting meetups in Utrecht and quickly saw demand for more in-depth discussions, leading him to create the peer support group and eventually launch Enter Network as an online community for early-stage entrepreneurs.
How much money it makes: $18K/year
How much did it cost to start: $4K
How many people on the team: 2
Enter Network founder Jochem Gerritsen built a community of 50+ starting entrepreneurs all over Europe, generating $1,500 MRR by running a platform that offers a Slack community, package deals for free services, access to over 20 startup mentors, weekly online meetups, mastermind groups, and more.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
