If you’re familiar with 10K, you’ve seen us yell this from the proverbial mountain tops for months: There has never been a better time to become an independent consultant in the Salesforce ecosystem.
Customers are hungry – our 2022 Salesforce Talent Ecosystem Report found that global Salesforce talent demand increased by 19%. Anecdotally, this is also evident amongst our own customer base and the 10K Expert Community, too.
Salesforce talent of all skill levels is in high demand but the ones who stand to gain the most from this age of digital transformation are highly-skilled and experienced Salesforce experts. To define an expert, think a minimum of six years of Salesforce experience and a minimum of three years of consulting experience.
There’s never been a better time to bet on yourself and leave your full-time professional services job
According to Harvard Business Review, an increasingly large majority of independent workers say that independent work is less risky and more secure than traditional employment. Here are a few remarkable stats from their 2021 study:
- 68% of independent workers responded to the statement “I feel more secure working independently” in the affirmative — up from 32% in 2011 and 53% in 2019.
- 7 in 10 independents and 3 in 10 traditional employees say independent work is more secure than traditional employment.
- 31% of employees who left their job in the past six months did so to start a new business.
To define an expert, think a minimum of six years of Salesforce experience and a minimum of three years of consulting experience.
If you’re currently working in a professional services company and are a Salesforce expert with a competitive skillset, consulting soft skills, and looking for some much-deserved work/life balance, read on for three reasons why becoming an independent Salesforce consultant should be your next career move.
The money will follow and it’ll be on your terms
The 10K team has had dozens and dozens of conversations with Salesforce customers, partners, and experts over the past few months and there is a common theme – there isn’t enough talent or time to accomplish all of the initiatives ahead of them.
This is a “good problem” as we say. And if you’re working in Salesforce professional services you already know this.
Chances are you’ve had a steady stream of interest from recruiters and other consulting firms. There are also plenty of stories across LinkedIn about fat signing bonuses and impressive salary bidding wars – but is a company that’s willing to pay far above average or make lofty promises a good opportunity? Or is it a red flag?
…the salary of your dreams means nothing if you can’t enjoy the freedoms you’re entitled to.
Before you take an offer that seems too good to be true, consider the employer’s perspective: Explosive customer demand has been near impossible to satiate; they have few choices but to use and abuse their full-time employees to keep up. Will you really see the bag of goods that were sold to you?
If you’ve been teetering on the edge of burnout, you’re far from alone. More money can often mean more problems – unrealistic deadlines, unattainable KPIs, the expectation to work during PTO, etc. – and the salary of your dreams means nothing if you can’t enjoy the freedoms you’re entitled to.
Going independent guarantees you can have your cake and eat it too; all on your own terms. With the right technical skills and consulting expertise, the money will follow! There’s plenty of pie to go around.
The vision is yours to define
Increased customer demand not only means working longer hours, but it can also mean constantly working outside of your scope of expertise. Let’s be honest – this is a thankless way to work and inevitably leads to burnout.
You have the freedom to choose your preferred delivery methods, ways of communicating, and technology and tools. And most importantly, you get to choose which projects you want to take on.
If you’re tired of feeling out of control, or as just another working body serving someone else’s big agenda at a large firm, then building your own Salesforce business is your ticket to change.
As the boss of your own Salesforce consultancy, you alone have the privilege of controlling the client experience. You have the freedom to choose your preferred delivery methods, ways of communicating, and technology and tools. And most importantly, you get to choose which projects you want to take on.
For 10K Expert, Djibril Anthony, the best part about being your own boss in the Salesforce ecosystem is “the freedom to be selective of the projects [the business] takes on. I’m passionate about delivering value for my customers, and I appreciate the ability to turn down work if I can’t serve a customer’s goal or mission. Your work should motivate and get you excited to keep delivering value, and being an independent consultant makes that possible.”
Work/Life balance becomes a reality
Our 2022 Independent Salesforce Consultant Report found that independent Salesforce experts value having a flexible schedule more than any other benefit of being your own boss.
Achieving work/life balance has been a hot topic since the start of COVID and cemented itself as a non-negotiable amidst the growing Great Resignation. There has been a fundamental shift in what workers want and need from work, and it makes sense. Your time and how you choose to spend it is precious.
Being independent in the Salesforce ecosystem is so much more than just guaranteeing you get to work remotely. It also ensures you get to decide when, where, and how you work.
For 10K Expert Ines Garcia, her favorite part about being independent is “having flexibility in choosing the work I do, how it gets done, and how much I want to work. Life is a perishable good. We only live once and there’s more to life than just working. This freedom gives me the time and headspace to dive into other ideas and passions I have.”
How to learn more and get started
Leaving the security of a full-time job isn’t for the faint of heart, but the numbers don’t lie – now is the best time to bet on yourself and build your own Salesforce business.
Explore the answers to your “why” with this post from 10K CEO, Nick Hamm
Tap into the support of a community of your peers and learn from other elite experts in the 10K Expert Community (we’re always accepting applications)
Connect with 10K leadership to learn more about our company start-up cost scholarship
