Building a Training & Consultancy Business: The Real Story Behind the (hopefully) Success

Starting a training and consultancy business is like climbing a mountain – the view from the top is breathtaking, but nobody tells you about the blisters along the way.

It was 3 months into building the Training courses when I realised, I hadn’t had a full weekend to myself since I started…which just wasn’t sustainable. It got me thinking about the challenges I’ve faced, the tips and tricks I’ve found that make me efficient, but, most importantly, I started thinking about why I still love working on it, despite the hard times.

The Leap of Faith

Remember that moment when you decided to turn your expertise into a training business? Maybe you were tired of watching organisations make the same mistakes, or you knew you could deliver training that actually stuck. That spark of inspiration is precious – but it's just the beginning of a journey that will test you in ways you never expected.

Next comes the doubt, the sleepless nights, the never-ending to-do lists, the overwhelm, but also…the pride, the satisfaction, the sense of achievement and, hopefully, the freedom, the income, and the ownership.

Managed right, it can be a hugely rewarding process. Managed wrong, it’s a one-way journey to burn-out.

AdKnow Limited was born out of a shared love of hard work, an audit background, a compliance career, and the realisation that the compliance landscape affects people that aren’t aware at all.

In fact, on social media, only 42% are even aware that there are rules and regs about posting content that promotes a product or service. 42%. And of those – many who aren’t fulfilling the regs right. What’s scary about that? Well, the consequences can be huge, and not just financial. So, AdKnow is here to help you understand what you need to do when creating content to make sure its compliant!

I started building the training materials about 4 months ago, and it’s been a rollercoaster of a journey so far!

There are many challenges and obstacles I’ve faced along the way whilst building up both the training and consultancy elements of the business, however, if you are prepared and know what to expect, you can plan your route to progress.

The Reality Check: Pitfalls That Catch Everyone

1.      The "Build It and They Will Come" Myth

We all fall for this one. You spend months perfecting your training materials, creating beautiful slides, and crafting the perfect methodology. Then you launch... and hear crickets. The hard truth? Having great content is only 20% of the battle. The other 80% is marketing, networking, and relentless visibility.

2.      The Pricing Paradox

Price too high, and you pricing yourself out of the market. Price too low, and you're working 60-hour weeks while barely covering expenses. Here's what nobody tells you: your first pricing structure will be wrong. Guaranteed. The key is to start somewhere, track everything, and adjust ruthlessly.

3.      The Expertise Trap

Being brilliant at what you do doesn't automatically make you brilliant at business development, marketing, or (gulp) accounting. You'll wear ten hats, and some will fit terribly. The learning curve is steep and learning while earning is exhausting.

I’ve fallen foul of each one on my journey to bring AdKnow Limited to you, and I still have a long way to go, but I have learned a lot since I started this journey.

The biggest hack I can share to help you be as efficient, and as prepared, as you can be – Template Everything!

Every email you send twice becomes a template. Every process you repeat becomes a checklist. Your future self will thank you profusely.

Secondly, leverage tech wherever you can! Where there is a scheduling tool – use it! Enlist the services of an accounting software that syncs with your bank. Make life easier for yourself where you can – trust me, its hard enough without adding to your challenges when building and launching a business!

These aren't just consulting war stories—they're the exact challenges that shaped how I built AdKnow Limited.

So, what’s the deal with AdKnow Limited?

We launched the website this week and are proudly offering an intro training course for free – its step one in our plan. It will give content creators a basic understanding of the rules and regs that govern online posting. And (shameless plug incoming) those that attend also get a discount on the complete Critical Uk Compliance Course.

 The website is still a work in progress, but I think it always will be – I will always be adding, tweaking elements, changing, and upgrading bits, but that’s the nature of business; its organic. But – and it’s a big but – I’m proud of what I’ve achieved, what I’m offering! I know that sharing my knowledge will help loads of content creators and Influencers.

I know that, of late, the ASA are clamping down on those who break compliance with their online posts – and there’s more at stake than people realise. So now, I have the huge task of, not only getting all my training materials online, but getting the word out there!

Next is the monthly Newsletter, which I’m so excited to bring to you. It’s going to have case studies, tools of the trade, a compliance community corner, and inside scoops about the AdKnow Team. You should definitely sign up!

After that, I’m going to be releasing Masterclass training courses that focus on Compliance on each of the social media platforms, so you can be confident on your chosen platform. No ifs, no buts, no coconuts!

So, there’s loads coming over the next few weeks, which I’m so excited to share with you.

For now, we are live (as of yesterday) and raring to go. The first free online seminar is scheduled for 02^nd February, at 2:00pm. Would be great to see you there!

(Free Webinar: An Introduction to Critical UK Compliance for Content Creators | Adknow Limited)

In the meantime, I will keep on keeping on, but in a way that is healthy and controlled. Ill watch out for warning signs that I’m pushing myself too hard. So, for anyone else also working towards a launch…here’s a little reminder:

Working weekends becomes every weekend. Sleep suffers. You stop exercising. Hobbies gather dust. These are not badges of honour – they're red flags. Address them immediately.

Building a training and consultancy business is simultaneously the hardest and most rewarding thing you'll ever do. There will be days when you question everything, and days when you can't believe you get paid to do what you love.

The key is to play the long game. Build sustainable habits. Protect your mental health. Celebrate small wins. Learn from setbacks. And remember – every successful consultant started exactly where you are now.

Your expertise is valuable. The world needs what you have to offer. Yes, the journey is challenging, but with the right mindset, systems, and support, it's absolutely achievable.

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. The rest will follow.

Here’s to a great future working together!

P.S. If you're navigating these same waters, grab our free intro course—it's the roadmap I wish I'd had four months ago.

Here’s the link to register: Free Webinar: An Introduction to Critical UK Compliance for Content Creators | Adknow Limited