‘When will I be ready to take on clients? When will I know enough?’

These are questions I often hear.

Here are my thoughts.

1. “I am feeling very unsure of how I am going to cope on my own as a professional. I am sure it will come with time. But I am not sure that I will be trained enough to do it.”

Yes, it will come with time. You have to be brave, and expose yourself to clients. That will make you feel anxious initially until you get enough experience.

2. “How do I know when I will be ready for my first client?”

You will never be 100% ready, because only when you have spoken to enough clients will you be ready.

So you have to start when you are not ready! It’s a paradox.

But there’s a saying: “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it probably IS a duck.”

That means your clients will see your business card or your leaflet, and they will assume you are an expert. They very rarely question your proficiency. They are much more involved with themselves and their own concerns.

If you hire an electrician, and they are carrying a box of tools and wearing overalls, and look polite and interested, you probably won’t question them about their knowledge of electricity regulations. Instead, you will say, ‘Help, my oven isn’t working’.

3. “What if the client asks me something and I don’t know the answer?”

There will always be some question that you don’t know the answer to.

You need to be honest and authentic. You will need to say, ‘That’s a good question. Before I open my mouth and give you an off-the-cuff answer, I’d want to make sure of my facts. May I get back to you on that?’

Never give a client a solution if you aren’t 100% confident. It is always best to be cautious.