Consulting Business for Military Spouses: Building Expertise-Based Income
Launch a consulting business as a military spouse. Leverage your expertise, find clients remotely, price your services, and build a location-independent practice.
Consulting Business for Military Spouses: Building Expertise-Based Income
Bottom Line Up Front
Consulting allows military spouses to monetize professional expertise at $75-$300+/hour—rates that make location challenges irrelevant. If you have specialized knowledge from past careers, education, or unique experience (including military spouse life itself), consulting offers $50,000-$200,000+ annual income working entirely remotely. Startup costs are minimal ($0-$500), clients pay for your brain not your location, and your expertise travels with you. The barrier is identifying and packaging what you know.
The Military Spouse Career Challenge
Consulting converts your knowledge into location-independent income:
Traditional Employment:
- Trade hours for wages
- Employer decides your value
- Limited by local opportunities
- Resume gaps penalized
- Restart with each PCS
Consulting Model:
- Trade expertise for premium rates
- You set your value
- Clients can be anywhere
- Results matter more than history
- Business moves with you
The Key Insight: What's ordinary knowledge to you is valuable expertise to others. Your career experience, industry knowledge, or specialized skills are worth money to people who lack them.
What Consultants Actually Do
Types of Consulting
Strategy Consulting
- Help organizations make decisions
- Market analysis, growth planning, problem-solving
- Highest rates, most prestigious
- Requires significant experience
Functional/Technical Consulting
- Expertise in specific business function
- HR, marketing, operations, finance, IT, etc.
- Implement solutions within specialty
- Most accessible for experienced professionals
Industry Consulting
- Deep knowledge of specific industry
- Healthcare, education, nonprofits, government, etc.
- Understand regulations, trends, challenges
- Experience-based expertise
Independent Consulting
- Fractional executive roles
- Interim leadership
- Project-based work
- Advisory relationships
Consulting Delivery Models
Project-Based:
- Defined scope and deliverables
- Fixed price or hourly
- Clear start and end
- Example: "Develop marketing strategy" - $5,000-$15,000
Retainer:
- Ongoing advisory relationship
- Monthly fee for availability
- Predictable income
- Example: "$2,500/month for 10 hours advisory"
Hourly:
- Paid for time spent
- Flexible scope
- Common for newer consultants
- Example: "$150/hour for strategy sessions"
Training/Speaking:
- Workshops, courses, presentations
- Highly scalable
- Can be one-time or recurring
- Example: "$3,000 for half-day workshop"
Finding Your Consulting Niche
Audit Your Expertise
Professional Experience:
- What industries have you worked in?
- What functions have you performed (HR, marketing, operations)?
- What problems have you solved repeatedly?
- What do colleagues ask you for help with?
Education and Certifications:
- What specialized training do you have?
- What credentials do you hold?
- What subjects could you teach others?
Unique Perspectives:
- What insights come from military spouse experience?
- What have you learned from adapting to different environments?
- What cross-industry observations do you have?
Profitable Consulting Niches
| Niche | Typical Rates | Client Base |
|---|---|---|
| HR/People Operations | $100-$200/hour | Small-mid businesses |
| Marketing Strategy | $125-$250/hour | SMBs, startups |
| Operations/Process | $100-$175/hour | Growing companies |
| Financial Consulting | $150-$300/hour | Businesses, nonprofits |
| Nonprofit Management | $75-$150/hour | Nonprofits, foundations |
| Healthcare Admin | $100-$200/hour | Practices, hospitals |
| Grant Writing | $75-$150/hour | Nonprofits, research |
| DEI Consulting | $150-$300/hour | All sizes |
| Change Management | $125-$250/hour | Organizations in transition |
| Executive Coaching | $200-$500/hour | Leaders, executives |
Military Spouse-Specific Opportunities
Leveraging Your Experience:
- Relocation consulting for companies
- Military family program consulting
- PCS transition consulting for families
- Cross-cultural competency (OCONUS experience)
- Crisis management (deployment experience)
- Remote work implementation (you live it)
Government/Military Adjacent:
- Defense contractor consulting
- Government relations
- Military transition program design
- Spouse employment program consulting
- Family readiness expertise
Building Your Consulting Business
Phase 1: Foundation (Weeks 1-4)
Define Your Offering:
- What problem do you solve?
- Who has this problem (target client)?
- What makes you qualified?
- What results can you deliver?
Position Yourself:
- Create a clear value proposition
- One sentence: "I help [who] with [what] so they can [result]"
- Example: "I help small healthcare practices streamline operations so they can serve more patients without adding staff"
Basic Infrastructure:
- Simple website (Squarespace, Wix, or even LinkedIn)
- Professional email
- LinkedIn profile optimized for consulting
- Booking/calendar system (Calendly)
Phase 2: Client Acquisition (Weeks 5-12)
Networking Strategy:
- Reconnect with former colleagues
- Join professional associations (many virtual)
- Attend industry conferences (virtual options available)
- Engage in LinkedIn conversations
Content Marketing:
- Write articles demonstrating expertise
- Post insights on LinkedIn regularly
- Guest post on industry publications
- Consider starting a newsletter
Direct Outreach:
- Identify target companies
- Personalized LinkedIn messages
- Cold emails to decision makers
- Focus on problems you can solve
Referral Development:
- Ask past colleagues for introductions
- Partner with complementary consultants
- Build relationships with potential referral sources
Phase 3: Delivery and Growth (Ongoing)
First Engagements:
- Over-deliver on early clients
- Document results meticulously
- Request testimonials and referrals
- Learn what clients value most
Scale and Optimize:
- Raise rates with experience
- Refine your niche
- Develop signature methodologies
- Create productized offerings
Pricing Your Consulting
Rate Calculation
Start with Annual Income Goal:
- Target: $100,000/year
- Billable hours (realistic): 20-25/week = 1,000/year
- Rate needed: $100/hour
Add Overhead:
- Taxes (~30% of income)
- Benefits (you pay 100%)
- Business expenses
- Marketing time
- Adjust: $130-$150/hour
Rate Benchmarks by Experience
| Experience Level | Hourly Rate | Day Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Starting Out | $75-$125 | $500-$800 |
| Established (2-3 years) | $125-$200 | $800-$1,500 |
| Expert (5+ years) | $200-$350 | $1,500-$2,500 |
| Senior/Executive | $350-$500+ | $2,500-$4,000+ |
Pricing Strategies
Value-Based Pricing:
- Price based on results, not time
- If your work saves $500K, charge $50K
- Requires understanding client impact
- Higher potential revenue
Project Pricing:
- Fixed fee for defined scope
- Client knows total cost upfront
- You benefit from efficiency
- Risk: scope creep
Retainer Pricing:
- Monthly fee for availability
- Predictable revenue
- Client gets priority access
- Common: $2,000-$10,000+/month
Raising Your Rates
When to Raise:
- After 3-5 successful engagements
- When demand exceeds capacity
- When you've niched down further
- With each new credential or result
How to Raise:
- New clients get new rates immediately
- Existing clients: 3-month notice
- Tie to increased value
- Don't apologize—you're worth it
Marketing Your Consulting Business
Content Strategy
Demonstrate Expertise Through:
- LinkedIn posts (2-3x/week)
- Long-form articles (1-2x/month)
- Case studies (as you complete work)
- Email newsletter (optional but powerful)
Content Topics:
- Industry trends and insights
- Common problems and solutions
- Frameworks and methodologies
- Behind-the-scenes of your work
LinkedIn Optimization
Profile Must-Haves:
- Clear headline stating what you do
- Summary focused on client problems you solve
- Experience showcasing relevant achievements
- Recommendations from clients/colleagues
Active Engagement:
- Comment on industry content
- Share insights and opinions
- Connect with potential clients
- Post original content regularly
Referral System
Develop Referral Sources:
- Former clients
- Colleagues in complementary fields
- Industry connections
- Professional associations
Make It Easy:
- Thank referrers promptly
- Consider referral fees (10-15% typical)
- Keep referrers updated on shared clients
- Reciprocate when possible
PCS-Proofing Your Consulting Practice
Advantages of Consulting During PCS
Unlike photography or real estate, consulting is fully portable:
- Clients don't care where you are
- Virtual meetings standard
- No local permits or licensing
- Relationships travel with you
PCS Considerations
Before PCS:
- Complete active projects (or plan handoff)
- Communicate timeline to clients
- Schedule "light" weeks during move
During PCS:
- Maintain client communication (brief check-ins)
- Honor commitments made
- Accept temporary reduced capacity
After PCS:
- Resume normal operations within days
- No marketing restart needed
- Clients unaffected
OCONUS Consulting
Works Excellently:
- US-based clients don't care about your location
- Time zone differences manageable
- May actually prefer early morning or evening calls
- Internet is the only requirement
Considerations:
- Reliable internet essential
- Plan call times around time zones
- Some payment processors have international limitations
- Consider retainer model for time zone flexibility
Resources for Military Spouse Consultants
Professional Development
Certifications That Increase Rates:
- PMP (Project Management)
- SHRM (HR)
- Six Sigma (Operations)
- Certified Coach credentials
- Industry-specific certifications
Training:
- LinkedIn Learning (free with library cards)
- Coursera professional certificates
- Industry association courses
Business Support
Military OneSource:
- Free career/business counseling
- Phone: 1-800-342-9647
SCORE:
- Free mentorship
- score.org
Professional Associations:
- Join associations in your niche
- Many offer virtual membership
- Access to job boards and clients
Community
Consulting Networks:
- The Consulting Club (LinkedIn)
- Consultants Network Association
- Industry-specific consultant groups
Military Spouse Networks:
- MSEN (Military Spouse Employment Network)
- LinkedIn military spouse groups
- Local installation groups
Success Stories
Jennifer, Navy Spouse - HR Consultant "I was an HR manager who couldn't find equivalent work at our rural duty station. I started consulting for small businesses who needed HR help but couldn't afford full-time staff. First client paid $75/hour. Now I charge $175/hour and have 6 retainer clients. When we PCS'd to Japan, not a single client cared. I just shifted my call times to evenings."
David, Army Spouse - Marketing Strategy "After years in marketing leadership, I kept taking entry-level jobs at each duty station. At 40, I said enough. Started marketing consulting at $125/hour. Focused on healthcare practices—my wife's military medical background gave me insights. Year one was $65K. Year three is $140K. I'll never apply for a job again."
Aisha, Air Force Spouse - Nonprofit Consultant "My background was nonprofit management, which doesn't exist in most duty station towns. Now I consult with nonprofits nationwide on operations, governance, and fundraising. Most clients I've never met in person. I charge $150/hour for advisory and $8,000 for board training workshops. Made $95K last year working 30 hours a week."
Common Obstacles and Solutions
"I don't have enough expertise"
Reality: You likely undervalue what you know. Knowledge that seems basic to you is valuable to those who lack it. Start with what you know well, even if it feels ordinary. Your unique perspective (including military spouse experience) adds value.
"No one will pay my rates"
Solution: Someone is paying those rates somewhere—consultants in every niche charge $100+/hour. Start with what feels comfortable, then raise with each engagement. Value-based pricing (focus on results) helps justify rates.
"I don't know how to find clients"
Solution: Your network is larger than you think. Former colleagues, professional connections, and referrals are the primary sources for most consultants. LinkedIn makes it easy to reconnect. Start there before cold outreach.
"What about benefits and stability?"
Solution: You have TRICARE—the biggest benefit concern is solved. Stability comes from multiple clients (never depend on one). Retainer clients provide predictable income. Many consultants feel more stable than employees because they control their income.
"I don't have a corporate background"
Solution: Consulting isn't limited to corporate. Nonprofits, small businesses, government contractors, educational institutions, and healthcare organizations all use consultants. Your experience in any professional setting translates.
90-Day Action Plan
Days 1-30: Positioning
- Week 1: Audit your expertise. Define your niche. Research the market.
- Week 2: Create value proposition. Decide on target clients. Set initial pricing.
- Week 3: Build online presence (LinkedIn optimization, simple website).
- Week 4: Create service descriptions. Prepare proposals. Draft contracts.
Days 31-60: Outreach
- Week 5-6: Reconnect with network. Announce consulting practice. Ask for referrals.
- Week 7-8: Begin content creation. Engage on LinkedIn. Direct outreach to prospects.
Days 61-90: First Clients
- Week 9-10: Convert leads to clients. Begin first engagement. Document everything.
- Week 11-12: Deliver excellent work. Get testimonials. Refine offering based on feedback.
Realistic Targets:
- End of Month 1: Positioning clear, online presence ready
- End of Month 2: 3-5 serious conversations
- End of Month 3: 1-2 paying clients
- End of Year 1: $50,000-$100,000 revenue
Resources
Business Setup:
- Website: Squarespace, Carrd
- CRM: HubSpot (free tier), Dubsado
- Contracts: HelloSign, DocuSign
- Scheduling: Calendly
Finding Clients:
- LinkedIn: linkedin.com
- Clarity.fm: clarity.fm (consulting marketplace)
- Catalant: gocatalant.com (expert network)
Learning:
- David C. Baker's books on consulting
- The Consulting Success Podcast
- HBR articles on consulting
Communities:
- SCORE: score.org
- Industry associations
- LinkedIn consulting groups
This Website:
- Professional Services Guide
- Remote Work Resources
- militarytransitiontoolkit.com
Consulting monetizes what you already know at rates that make career gaps irrelevant. Your expertise doesn't reset with each PCS—it compounds. Build a reputation as the go-to expert in your niche, and clients will find you regardless of where the military sends you.