Debunking the Most Common Myths About Consulting
Consulting looks glamorous from the outside—big clients, strategy decks, and corner offices. But beneath the polish lies a tougher, truer story. This article busts the biggest consulting myths to reveal what the craft is really about: grit, growth, and solving problems that matter.
Consulting is often viewed as an exciting, high-status profession, characterised by the world of big ideas, slick presentations, big transformations and powerful clients.
At least, that’s the image many people see.
Beneath that glossy surface lies a much more nuanced and far more interesting reality.
Myths about consulting can confuse or even discourage people who might otherwise thrive in the field. Maybe you’ve heard that consultants only do strategy work, spend all day with CEOs, or live glamorous lives jet-setting between clients.
The truth? Consulting is harder, messier, and far more rewarding than those stereotypes suggest.
If you’re curious about consulting or considering it as a career, this article will help you cut through the noise. By the end, you’ll have a clearer picture of what consultants actually do, the challenges they face, and why the best consultants are trusted to solve the problems that matter most.
Myth 1: “Anyone Can Become a Consultant”
It’s true that anyone can call themselves a consultant. However, sustaining success in the profession requires more than enthusiasm and a LinkedIn profile.
Many enter consulting based on their expertise, their craft. However expertise alone won’t make you successful, just like having “all the gear and no idea” won’t make you a mountaineer.
Reality: Consulting Success Requires the 4 Cs
At Consultant Café, I talk about the 4 Cs of Consulting—the balance between Consultant, Colleagues, Clients, and Community.
To truly thrive, you need to master all of these:
- Consultant – Know yourself, your value, and your craft. Understand your mindset, strengths, and unique skills to find your consulting superpower. Recognise the value you bring—not with arrogance, but with confidence built through experience (and the occasional stumble).
- Colleagues – Collaborate and co-create. The best work happens in teams. Learn from those around you, both brilliant and complex, and embrace collaboration to grow, deliver faster, and stay sane under pressure.
- Clients – Deliver with insight and integrity. Build trust by deeply understanding client needs, sometimes even better than the clients themselves. Choose clients whose values align with yours, and always do what’s right, even when it’s hard.
- Community – Connect beyond the project. Go beyond networking to give back to the industry, causes, and people who matter. Small contributions from many consultants create a powerful ripple effect of impact.
Tip
Good news: These skills aren’t innate, they can be learned. With the right mindset and support, anyone willing to grow can build a meaningful consulting career.
Myth 2: “Consultants Aren’t Business Owners”
A common myth is that consulting is purely about delivering client work.
The reality is that consulting is a business, and every consultant, whether independent or part of a big firm, plays a role in making it thrive.
Reality: Everyone Contributes to the Business
Whether you’re a graduate or a senior partner, commercial acumen matters. Success is about more than just billable hours. You play a part in winning work, delivering work, building practice, and contributing to the firm’s growth.
This includes:
- Positioning yourself and your practice in the market
- Winning work and building trusted client relationships
- Maintaining profitability and accurate billing
- Ensuring the firm consistently delivers value
Independent Consultants = Full Entrepreneurs
If you work for yourself, this responsibility multiplies. You’re not just the consultant—you’re also:
- The marketing department
- The finance team
- The sales lead
- The operations manager
Thriving as an independent means marketing your services, pitching, managing cash flow, and delivering results—while constantly refining your niche and edge.
Tip
The good news for early career consultants: Excellent delivery gives you every opportunity to position yourself, your practice and your firm. It is a great way to develop your commercial acumen.
Myth 3: “Consultants Only Do Strategy”
The Hollywood version of consulting is all boardroom drama and CEO whispering.
While strategy can be part of the job, consulting is a full-contact sport, played on every playing surface. And to be frank, implementing strategy is far more rewarding (at least from my point of view).
Reality: Strategy Without Execution Is Just Theory
Great consultants don’t just hand over a slide deck and leave. They:
- Sit with frontline teams to understand the messy, lived reality
- Work with middle managers to shape realistic plans
- Navigate internal politics to gain traction
Strategy is the starting line, not the finish.
The real impact comes from helping people implement, adapt, and succeed.
Myth 4: “Consultants Live Glamorous Lives”
From the outside, consulting can look glamorous: big clients, big transformations, expensive meals paid by the CEO, maybe business-class flights.
The reality? Less champagne, more spreadsheets, sometimes late into the night.
Reality: Consulting Is Demanding, but Worth It
Consulting is often like running a marathon at a sprint. The job is intense, unpredictable, and high-pressure. Without discipline and boundaries, it’s easy to burn out.
Sustainable success means:
- Setting clear work-life boundaries
- Recognising when “busy” becomes unsustainable
- Protecting time for recovery and reflection
Flexibility in consulting isn’t automatic, it’s earned. The reward? A career full of variety, challenge, and growth, if you manage it well.
Tips
Set Your Non-Negotiables Early. Define what’s most important to you outside of work — family, gym sessions, or weekends offline. Protect them fiercely.
It's likely your Partner would prefer two productive consultants rather than one unsustainably overutilised. Have an abundance mentality and consider sharing the load with another consultant. It's also good for your development.
