Independent Consulting (2026)

If you want to learn how to build a successful independent consulting business - finding clients, positioning yourself as an expert, pricing your services, selling your expertise, and eventually creating a sustainable solo practice - I'd start with these people.

These are some of the strongest voices in the independent consulting space.

8 people worth following

1. David C. Baker

My top recommendation

Positioning, specialization, expertise

Teaches you how to turn what you know into a differentiated, premium consulting business.

Start with: The Business of Expertise.

Website · LinkedIn

2. Jonathan Stark

Pricing, sales, consulting economics

Excellent for learning how to stop selling hours and start charging based on the value you create.

Start with: Ditching Hourly.

Website · Getting started guide

3. Blair Enns

Selling, positioning, negotiation

Helps experts sell their thinking and expertise rather than competing on price.

Start with: The Win Without Pitching Manifesto.

Website

4. Michael Zipursky

Getting clients, growing a consulting practice

Particularly useful for people starting from scratch who need a repeatable client acquisition process.

Start with: Consulting Success.

Website

5. Alan Weiss

Premium fees, client relationships, business development

A veteran voice on building a highly profitable independent consulting practice.

Start with: Million Dollar Consulting.

Website

6. Philip Morgan

Finding your niche and developing expertise

Particularly good at helping independent professionals figure out what they should specialize in and how to stand out.

Website

7. Dorie Clark

Personal brand, authority, thought leadership

Teaches how to become known for your expertise and build opportunities around your reputation.

Start with: Stand Out.

Website

8. Liston Witherill

Sales conversations and winning clients

Great for learning how to sell consulting without feeling pushy or overly promotional.

My recommended learning order

Don't try to follow everybody equally. I'd approach it this way:

What you need to learn	Who to follow
What should I consult on?	Philip Morgan
How do I position myself?	David C. Baker
How do I find clients?	Michael Zipursky
How do I sell my services?	Blair Enns
How much should I charge?	Jonathan Stark
How do I build authority?	Dorie Clark
How do I build a profitable practice?	Alan Weiss

Also, subscribe to the 2Bobs podcast, hosted by David C. Baker and Blair Enns. It's an excellent resource for understanding the business side of professional services. Listen to 2Bobs.

One question that would help me narrow this down

When you say independent consulting, which direction are you thinking?

I can then put together a much more targeted list of people, podcasts, newsletters, books, and LinkedIn accounts worth following.

To learn about Independent Consulting (moving solo, building a boutique practice, landing high-ticket clients, and pricing your expertise), you want to follow practitioners who specifically teach the business of solo consulting, rather than traditional firm partners or corporate management theorists.

The top independent consulting experts, creators, and resources to follow include:

1. Dedicated Independent Consulting Mentors

• Michael & Sam Zipursky (Consulting Success):

• What they do: They run Consulting Success, arguably the most prolific platform dedicated entirely to helping solo and boutique consultants scale their businesses.

• Where to follow: Their website, the Consulting Success Podcast, and their books/guides on winning consulting clients. They focus heavily on marketing, lead generation, and value-based pricing for independents.

• Melisa Liberman:

• What she does: An executive coach and business mentor who focuses exclusively on transitioning from corporate roles into independent consulting, as well as scaling solo practices.

• Where to follow: Her blog and podcasting appearances, where she offers deeply tactical advice on packaging your expertise, shifting your mindset from employee to owner, and managing independent cash flow.

• David C. Baker:

• What he does: While heavily focused on small creative, digital, and expert firms, Baker is a legendary voice in positioning, pricing, and financial management for solo experts and boutique firm owners.

• Where to follow: His book The Business of Expertise and his podcast 2Bobs (co-hosted with Blair Enns).

2. Experts on Pricing, Positioning & Proposals

• Blair Enns (Win Without Pitching):

• What he does: He teaches specialized knowledge-workers and consultants how to stop pitching for work, eliminate RFPs, and transition strictly to value-based pricing.

• Where to follow: His book Pricing Creativity, his podcast 2Bobs, and his regular essays. His framework is vital for independents trying to escape hourly billing.

3. Essential Podcasts & Communities

Instead of general corporate podcasts (like McKinsey or HBR, which focus on macro business strategy rather than running a solo practice), tune into these specific audio resources: Best Consulting Podcasts for Independent & Solo Consultants in 2025

• The Consulting Success Podcast: Dedicated entirely to interviews with successful independent consultants sharing how they built six- and seven-figure solo practices.

• 2Bobs (Blair Enns & David C. Baker): The gold standard for learning how to price your time, position your niche, and talk about money with corporate clients.

To learn the ins and outs of independent consulting - from landing your first clients to avoiding the feast-or-famine "cycle of reactivity" - several prominent voices, platforms, and creators focus explicitly on building a solo or boutique practice. Michael Zipursky - Helping Consultants Build Great ... - LinkedInMelisa Liberman - I help independent consultants build a consistent pipeline and grow a sustainable consulting business | Creator, Consultant’s Pipeline Sprint | Host, Grow Your Independent Consulting Business Podcast | LinkedIn

• ** Michael Zipursky**: As the CEO and co-founder of Consulting Success®, Zipursky is a leading authority on scaling solo and boutique consulting firms. Through the Consulting Success Podcast and his books, he shares tactical guides on pricing strategy, marketing, and transitioning from a good consultant to a business owner. Michael Zipursky - Helping Consultants Build Great ... - LinkedIn

• ** Melisa Liberman**: Liberman specializes in helping independent management and executive consultants break out of the "Cycle of Reactivity" - the common trap where business development completely halts during project delivery. Via her Grow Your Independent Consulting Business Podcast and resources, she focuses heavily on building reliable sales pipelines. Melisa Liberman - I help independent consultants build a consistent pipeline and grow a sustainable consulting business | Creator, Consultant’s Pipeline Sprint | Host, Grow Your Independent Consulting Business Podcast | LinkedIn

• Matthew Fenton: Operating through Winning Solo, Fenton writes for independent consultants and creatives, offering practical advice on positioning, messaging, high-value pricing, and retaining control over your schedule via his regular insights. Coaching for Ambitious Consultants and Freelancers • Winning Solo

• Consulting Networks and Communities: Platforms like Consulting Success provide active frameworks, scorecards, and case studies specifically tailored to solo practitioners looking to map out six- and seven-figure practices. Michael Zipursky - Helping Consultants Build Great ... - LinkedIn

If you'd like to narrow this down, let me know:

• What specific area of consulting are you planning to enter (e.g., management, tech, HR, marketing)?
• Are you looking for advice on getting your very first clients or scaling an established practice?

I’d start with Melisa Liberman and Will Bachman: Liberman focuses on building the business of independent consulting, while Bachman covers the practical work of running a practice and serving clients. Together, they’re a useful starting pair rather than a long list of general entrepreneurship influencers.(melisaliberman.com)

People worth following

Person	Best for	Where to start
Melisa Liberman	Building a solo consulting business: positioning, lead generation, sales, pricing, and more predictable revenue.	Her Grow Your Independent Consulting Business podcast; she also shares content on LinkedIn. (music.amazon.com)(melisaliberman.com)
Will Bachman	Running an independent practice: client relationships, proposals, fees, business operations, and tools of the trade. Particularly relevant if you’re interested in management consulting.	His Unleashed podcast and Umbrex’s educational sessions. Bachman is a former McKinsey consultant and Umbrex managing partner. (umbrex.com)(melisaliberman.com)
Johanna Rothman	A relationship-centered approach to independent consulting, with a practitioner’s perspective on leadership and product-development work.	Her book Successful Independent Consulting: Relationships That Focus on Mutual Benefit and its accompanying author discussion. (youtube.com)
Michael Zipursky	Growing a profitable consulting business, especially if you eventually want to move beyond a solo practice toward a larger firm.	The Consulting Success podcast, which features interviews about business development, profitability, and growth. (melisaliberman.com)

How I’d use this shortlist

For learning how to find clients and make the business sustainable, start with Liberman. For understanding how an independent consulting practice operates day to day, add Bachman. Choose Rothman for the client-relationship side, or Zipursky if growing a firm is your longer-term aim. Those recommendations reflect their different subject emphases - not a ranking of who is universally “best.”(melisaliberman.com)(music.amazon.com)(umbrex.com)(youtube.com)

Alongside these generalists, follow one or two specialists in the industry or discipline you intend to consult in. That complements learning how to run a consulting business with learning about the work your clients actually need.(melisaliberman.com)

To learn about independent consulting, follow strategy thinkers and consulting leaders who actively share practical insights on LinkedIn, Substack, and Thinkers360. Roger Martin, Rita McGrath, and Nilofer Merchant are among the most influential voices shaping the consulting profession today.

🌟 Key Experts to Follow

Expert	Focus Area	Why Follow Them
Roger Martin	Competitive strategy, decision-making	Former Dean of Rotman School of Management, prolific author, publishes practical frameworks for consultants.25 Management Consulting Leaders in 2026 | The Industry Leaders25 Management Consulting Leaders Influencing 2026
Rita McGrath	Strategic innovation, temporary advantage	Known for her work on how competitive advantages are increasingly short-lived.25 Management Consulting Leaders Influencing 2026
Nilofer Merchant	Innovation, collaboration	Advocates for “onlyness” - leveraging unique perspectives in consulting.25 Management Consulting Leaders in 2026 | The Industry Leaders
Amy Edmondson	Psychological safety, team dynamics	Essential for consultants guiding organizational change.Top Leadership Experts & Thinkers Ranked in 2025–2026
Adam Grant	Motivation, generosity in business	Shares evidence-based insights on leadership and consulting practices.Top Leadership Experts & Thinkers Ranked in 2025–2026
Brené Brown	Vulnerability, courage in leadership	Helps consultants understand human dynamics in transformation projects.Top Leadership Experts & Thinkers Ranked in 2025–2026
Gary Hamel	Management innovation	Long-time critic of outdated corporate structures, offers fresh consulting perspectives.25 Management Consulting Leaders in 2026 | The Industry Leaders
Thinkers360 Top Voices	Broad consulting & leadership	Platform curates influential advisors, analysts, and consultants shaping business futures.Announcing the Thinkers360 Top Voices 2026: The Definitive List of Leading Experts | Thinkers360
LinkedIn Top Voices	Emerging industry leaders	Quarterly list of professionals sharing actionable insights on consulting, AI, and transformation.The January 2026 LinkedIn Top Voices to follow in the U.S.

📌 How to Use These Voices

• Follow on LinkedIn/Substack: Many publish free essays, frameworks, and case studies.

• Engage with their communities: Commenting and asking questions helps you learn directly from practitioners.

• Diversify perspectives: Strategy experts (Martin, McGrath), leadership thinkers (Edmondson, Brown), and innovation voices (Merchant, Hamel) cover different aspects of independent consulting.

• Track Thinkers360 & LinkedIn lists: These platforms regularly highlight rising consultants and thought leaders.

⚠️ Risks & Considerations

• Over-reliance on celebrity consultants: Their frameworks are valuable, but independent consulting requires adapting ideas to your niche.

• AI-driven disruption: Many experts emphasize that consultants must move beyond “information arbitrage” and focus on judgment, relationships, and execution.25 Management Consulting Leaders in 2026 | The Industry Leaders25 Management Consulting Leaders Influencing 2026

• Echo chambers: Following only one school of thought (e.g., strategy vs. leadership) can limit your perspective. Balance technical frameworks with human-centered approaches.

👉 If you’re starting out, I’d recommend beginning with Roger Martin for strategy, Rita McGrath for innovation, and Amy Edmondson for organizational dynamics. Together, they give you a strong foundation in the skills independent consultants need most today.

Would you like me to curate a step-by-step learning path (books, podcasts, newsletters) from these experts so you can build consulting expertise systematically?