You’ve already started your HR-related consultancy. You’ve got the skills, the experience, the drive. But still, something nags at you in the quiet moments, “Am I building this business the right way? Why does it feel harder than it should?”

Not because you’re not smart enough. Not because you’re not experienced enough. But because growing a consultancy – pricing your services, attracting clients, figuring out your marketing – feels like a completely different job than delivering great HR work.

And you’ve been trying to figure it out alone.

After helping hundreds of HR-related consultants around the world, I’ve noticed that most of them hit the same roadblocks, and they stem from 10 common, deeply embedded beliefs.

Let’s take a closer look at the ten hidden mistakes that quietly hold HR-related consultants back.

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1. Waiting Too Long To Take The Right Kind Of Action

Old belief: “I need to get everything perfect before I make my next move.”
New belief: Progress comes from taking focused, imperfect action consistently

Real clarity and progress only comes once you start taking action, even small steps. Waiting feels safe, but it delays your momentum, your confidence, and your next client.

New clients often tell me they are waiting for new qualifications, for a new website, for a networking event several months away, and more. Every conversation, every outreach email teaches you more than any webinar ever could. Action is the only thing that brings you closer to your goals.

2. Not Understanding Your Target Market

Old belief: “I can help anyone who needs HR support.”
New belief: I get better clients when I solve clear problems for a clear audience

Trying to appeal to everyone means your message resonates with no one. Generalists are forgettable. Specialists are remembered and recommended. When you understand your ideal client’s pain points and speak directly to them, you become the obvious choice.

It’s ok, you don’t have to choose a particular niche if you don’t want to. I (and many other successful HR-related business owners) believe that there are many benefits that come from choosing a niche so that you become a big fish in a small pond. However, most HR businesses choose to remain generalists serving a range of clients. Examples include Mary Cullen, Managing Director of Insight HR (podcast episode 245), Brent Pollington – Owner of the Express Employment and the Specialized Recruitment Groups – Vancouver office (podcast episode 233), and so on. Both options (generalist vs specialist) are perfectly fine.

If you don’t want to niche/specialize, I recommend creating two new sets of category/landing categories from the drop-down menu on your website: Industries and Use Cases (or ‘HR Challenges,’ ‘HR Scenarios’ or something similar). (One page per industry, one page per use case). Having these specific pages will make it easier for you to make more sales because the pages are not generic, they are specific to the prospect’s immediate problem or situation. Having specific landing pages also means you can run very targeted email/LinkedIn message programs, and remarketing advertising campaigns (those ads that follow you around the internet – the ads could specifically mention the use case or industry the person is thinking about).

3. Underpricing Yourself

Old belief: “I’ll start cheap and raise my rates later.”
New belief: Low prices attract the wrong clients and lead to burnout

You’re not selling hours, you’re selling outcomes. Pricing too low doesn’t just hurt your bank balance, it damages your positioning. Confident pricing attracts confident buyers. And those clients, they respect your boundaries, your value, and your time.

I know consultants in the HR sector who charge $75, $200, $800, and even one client at $25,000 (really!) per hour – that comes down to a combination of expertise and specialization, but mostly, mindset and confidence.

4. Hiding Your Expertise

Old belief: “I need to wait until I have case studies or big-name clients.”
New belief: People trust people who share useful ideas consistently

You don’t need fancy logos or awards to be seen as valuable. What draws people in is your insight, your practical tips, your perspective. A helpful LinkedIn post or practical webinar snippet can position you faster than a hidden portfolio ever will.

5. Doing Busy Work Instead of Growth Work

Old belief: “I’ll focus on branding, logos, and websites first.”
New belief: Client conversations matter more than colour palettes

Spending hours tweaking your logo might feel productive, but it’s not progress. If you haven’t spoken to a potential client this week, you’re avoiding growth. Visibility, outreach, offers, this is what builds a business.

This old, underserving belief is way more common than you might think. Focus on having more conversations with clients and potential new clientsd.

6. Relying Only On Referrals

Old belief: “If I do great work, the clients will come.”
New belief: Referrals are great, but too unpredictable to rely on

Referrals are often just a bonus, not a strategy. Most consultants feel great when one shows up, but panic when they don’t. You need a repeatable way to stay visible, so your pipeline isn’t at the mercy of other people’s memory.

I recommend thinking of referrals as an iceberg – you need to take action to uncover the referrals waiting under the surface.

7. Building a Website Before Messaging

Old belief: “I need a polished website so people take me seriously.”
New belief: Your message matters more than your homepage

A beautiful website with unclear messaging still won’t convert. What matters is clarity, who you help, what you offer, why it matters. Start with a simple, message-led landing page. Build the rest once you’ve validated what works.

I know when highly successful HR consultant who runs his entire business through his LinkedIn profile – no website in sight.

8. Posting Randomly on LinkedIn

Old belief: “I should post as much as possible to stay visible.”
New belief: Strategic, valuable posts beat constant noise

Much as it can be annoying to some people, I do feel that it helps to maintain a baseline on LinkedIn. You don’t need to go viral. You need to be relevant. Show up with insights that solve problems for your ideal client, even just a couple of times a week. That’s what makes you memorable, not how often you post.

9. Not Having a Marketing Plan

Old belief: “I’ll figure it out as I go.”
New belief: A repeatable plan means predictable growth

Swinging between over-posting and ghosting isn’t a strategy. A simple, weekly rhythm creates real momentum. Systems beat willpower. Build a habit, not a hustle. Then, find clever systems and strategies that extend your reach and raise your profile so you become the prize and new clients seek you out, not the other way around.

10. Trying To Do It All On Your Own

Old belief: “I should be able to figure this out myself.”
New belief: The fastest way to grow is to stop guessing and start using systems

Trying to build a business without a system is like assembling IKEA furniture without the instructions. You’ll get there, eventually, but it’s slow, stressful, and often wobbly. It’s not your fault. You just need a better setup.

What Real Success Looks Like

When things start to click for you, you can create a life and a business that’s right for you.

  • You can build a team, like Lisa Brown Alexander, who scaled Nonprofit HR into a 130+ person firm serving the nonprofit sector.
  • You can enjoy work-life balance, like Gemma Alicia Long, who built a thriving consultancy that supports her family life as a single mother.
  • You can sell HR products, like Ana Colak-Fustin, who’s helped 7,000+ job seekers worldwide through resume templates and digital tools.
  • You can enjoy longevity, like Sandrine Bardot, who’s spent over 10 years thriving as a solo Comp & Benefits consultant, trainer, and speaker.
  • You can become a trusted voice in your industry, like Louise Bijesse, regularly invited to speak on HR trends and strategy.
  • You can work with high-caliber clients, like Paul & Laura Smyth, who built a recruitment firm serving international banks and top tech startups.
  • You can take on exciting HR projects, like George Akle, who supports major clients across Asia and Australia.
  • You can solve difficult problems for employers, like Tiaan Dwyer, whose consultancy tackles complex HR, payroll, and compliance issues daily.
  • You can lead high-value work, like Ana Josefina Gonzalez, who advises international firms and government bodies in the Dominican Republic.

You can make good money – clients using this system have gone from zero to $150K+ in months, with others scaling to $300K, and even to $1 Million, and beyond.

They didn’t get lucky. They used a system, and they didn’t do it alone.

How To Fix These 10 Mistakes (Option A)

By now, you’ve probably tried a few things to get your business off the ground: listening to podcasts, reading business books, watching YouTube videos, saving swipe files, maybe even following successful consultants on LinkedIn. And that’s a great start.

If you have the time, motivation, and self-discipline, you can piece together a growth plan from all those places. There’s plenty of valuable content out there if you know what to look for.

But, in reality, this approach can be a little slow…

It’s inconsistent. And it still leaves you with the burden of figuring out how to structure it all for your specific business.

So here’s another option…

How To Fix These 10 Mistakes (Option B)

To grow the kind of business you’re really proud of, you don’t need to:

  • Become a full-time content creator
  • Hire a marketing agency
  • Learn web design or run webinars

You don’t need another course or another coaching program, or another PDF that collects virtual dust.

You just need a blueprint and the tools to do your marketing for you.

That’s why you might like to check out the HR Business Growth Hub.

Here’s what you get when you join the HR Business Growth Hub:

  • Step-by-step playbooks that show you exactly what to do, when, and why for building a steady flow of leads and clients.
  • Done-for-you AI tools that write your content, create proposals, and prep you for sales calls in seconds, not days.
  • Fill-in-the-blank templates for offers, proposals, lead magnets, emails, and more.
  • Proven marketing plans designed for HR-related consultants.
  • Example campaigns, ‘swipe’ files, and scripts so you’re never stuck staring at a blank page.

No overwhelm. Just practical tools and guidance that work.

It’s only $47 to get started and have 24/7 access. Cancel anytime. No pressure.

Something extra: To help you get over mistake #1 (Waiting Too Long To Take The Right Kind Of Action), if you join now, you’ll also get a one-to-one Deep Dive consulting call with me (Ben Geoghegan) to map out your business and marketing plan. (I will be closing this bonus soon).

Without a system for getting clients and growing your business, you risk staying stuck:

  • Earning less than you’re worth
  • Working with the wrong clients
  • Spending your days doing the same work you left behind

I’m inviting you into the HR Business Growth Hub to change that. So you can:

  • Get better clients
  • Build a business you’re proud of
  • Finally stop guessing and start growing

Give it a go. I think you’ll like it.

I’d love to see you in there and help you grow your business.

You can join here and get started today.

All the best,

Ben
Ben Geoghegan
Founder: Get More HR Clients