These Are the Best 12 Consulting Courses If You Want to Start Your Own Consulting Business

consulting courses

So you’ve decided to explore a career in consulting and even start your own consulting business. Awesome!

But what if you don’t feel like you have all the skills to confidently land consulting clients and help them succeed? No worries — there are plenty of online consulting courses to get you up and running, no matter which consulting niche you’re in.

Let’s explore some of the best consulting courses and certifications you can access online RIGHT now to level up your consulting business! 

Business Consulting Courses

When people think of consulting, they’re often thinking about business consulting or management consulting. We’ve looked for the best (free and paid) business consulting courses to get you started in this highly lucrative industry! There are some amazing e-learning and online course creation tools out there you can use.

Free Business Consulting Courses

Diploma in Business Administration

While this isn’t specifically a business consultancy course, the Diploma in Business Administration course from Alison is available for free and can help you understand how a healthy organization functions behind the scenes.

You’ll learn all about business operations and how they contribute to a business’s success. It’s a great place to start if you have no experience in management consulting or business consulting yet. Plus, you’ll get to know if you like this industry without having to spend a dime!

Kings of Consulting: Tips to Create a Consulting Business From the Fortune 500’s Secret Weapon

This business consulting course is available on Skillshare, which means you can get your first month free of charge! Pricing is yearly and varies per region, but you can expect something around the $13.99 per month mark.

In Kings of Consulting, you’ll learn from a consultant who helped companies like Google, Amazon, Nike, and Office Depot and discover how to leverage your existing skills to create a high-end consulting program. You’ll also:

  • Identify your ideal client for your consultancy
  • Figure out the exact goal you’ll help your ideal client achieve
  • Lay out the steps needed to achieve that goal
  • Learn how to “own” your consulting meetings
  • And so much more!

Strategy: Essentials for Management, Consulting, and Startup Success

Like the previous course, this business consulting course is available on Skillshare, which means you can access it free during your first month.

Strategy is one of the core consulting skills that will help set you apart as a business consultant. Taught by the former VP of Marketing at Percolate, this class is a complete and comprehensive introduction to strategy. You’ll not only learn some of the most influential strategy frameworks but also how to think like a great strategist.

You’ll even learn about McKinsey’s strategy frameworks as well as how to come up with your own strategies! 

Paid Business Consulting Courses

Consulting Approach to Problem Solving

Available on Udemy, this consulting course will teach you how to structure a business consulting project. You’ll also learn how to master hypothesis-based problem solving so that you can help your future clients succeed. Problem-solving is a crucial skill to master, no matter which consulting framework you use.

This course is designed for complete beginners. So if this is your first time dipping your toes into the world of business consulting, this course is for you!

How to Crack the Consulting Case Interview

If you already have some foundational knowledge of business consulting, consider taking this course next. It will teach you how to handle your consulting case interviews so that you can land better offers.

You’ll also learn:

  • What the interview process is like
  • How to pull the right insights from data
  • What to put in your resume and cover letter 
  • And much more!

It’s a great next step if you’re ready to become a business consultant and just need some guidance on landing your first consulting client!

Security Consultancy Courses

There’s much more to consulting than just business consulting. If you have experience working in security, you may have a potential career as a security consultant! Look into these two consulting courses to get you up and running as a security consultant.

Global Security Consulting Seminars

Are you a beginner in the world of security consulting? If so, start with this online course. Not only is it free, but it will provide you with a great base of knowledge to dip your toes into security consulting.

In this course, you’ll learn directly from experts who know what it takes to close million-dollar security consultancy deals. You’ll also learn about the four pillars you need to get started successfully in this field.

Before you get started, know that you should already have a strong background in security. You don’t need any experience in consulting though!

Building Your Own Security Consultancy 101

Want to launch your own security consultancy business? This is the course for you! Taught by the managing director of Security Management International, this course is the perfect follow-up to Global Security Consulting Seminars. 

While Global Security teaches you the skills you need to become a security consultant, this course will guide you through the steps to create your own consultancy. You’ll learn how to charge bigger fees, set better goals, and organize your revenue streams.

The process is based on Luke Bencie’s 9-box system for revenue stream organization. You’ll also discover the type of mindset you need to succeed in security consulting. 

The International Association of Professional Security Consultants (IAPSC) 

If you’d rather work in cybersecurity, the IAPSC has the perfect certification for you. When you take their Certified Security Consultant program, you’ll become officially certified to become an independent security consultant. You can further specialize in specific cybersecurity fields ransomware, identity theft protection and phishing. 

Keep in mind that you need a minimum of three years of experience in the field before you can get certified. You’ll also need to submit proof of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited colleague or university. If you don’t have the required education, you’ll instead need 8 years of direct experience in broad security management. 

However, if you already have this experience, this is a great certification that can add tons of credibility to your cybersecurity consultancy.

When you get certified by the IAPSC, you’ll be able to provide the following services and more:

  • Physical Security Risk Assessment Consulting
  • Security Operations Review
  • Security Training
  • Security Management Support
  • Expert Witness
  • Cyber Security
  • Technology Design & Support
  • Policies & Procedures Review and Development
  • Technology Standards Development

To keep your certification active, you’ll also need to adhere to the professional Code of Ethics

Tax Consultancy Courses

Taxes aren’t going anywhere — and neither are the people and businesses who need high-level support from experienced tax consultants. Whether you’re experienced in the financial world or just starting, you’ll find a consulting course for you below.

Free Financial Courses on Alison

If you want to develop the skills you need to consult clients for tax purposes, look no further than Alison’s Tax Accountant training courses. On this page, you’ll find several free courses that can help you in your tax consultancy career, including:

  • Basics of accounting and financial statements
  • An introduction to financial intelligence
  • Fundamental concepts of financial analysis
  • And many more!

You can use these certifications to fill the gaps in your knowledge about tax consulting. So, even if you’re brand new to the financial field, you can level up your skills using these free courses before you launch your tax consulting career.

Certificate Tax, Bookkeeping & Financial Courses Online

Hosted by the Knowledge Bureau, these online courses can help you expand your skill set and your knowledge so that you can better serve your tax consultancy clients. You’ll find courses and certifications such as:

  • Professional income tax course (from entry-level to advanced)
  • Investment tax strategies
  • Filing T3 returns
  • Accounting for multiple business profiles
  • And many more!

You’ll also have the option to sign up for an annual three-day conference if you prefer to learn in person. 

IT Consultancy Courses

Big Data in the Age of AI

This course is a big-picture training suited for all IT consultants who want to expand their knowledge of big data. Both big data and AI form the foundation of many modern technologies you’ll work with as an IT consultant, which is why this course is so important!

Big Data in the Age of AI is a non-technical course. Instead, you’ll learn about big data’s relationship to AI as well as social media, the Internet of Things (IoT), and data science. Plus, you’ll also get a primer on the ethics of big data. 

You can take this course for free during your first month if you don’t have a LinkedIn Learning account yet. You also have the option to buy the course to access it for life!

Free IT Consultant Courses on Alison

Don’t yet have the skills to consult businesses in IT? You can develop IT skills for free with Alison’s IT consultant certifications.

Scroll through this page and you’ll find certifications across all spheres of IT, including but not limited to:

  • Introduction to computer network security
  • Network server security
  • Network troubleshooting and best practices
  • The many layers of computer networking (application layer, transport layer, physical layer, and more)
  • Network theory and architecture
  • Ethical hacking and network-based attacks

You can go from zero knowledge to confident expert by taking these free IT courses!

Enroll in the Best Consulting Courses to Level Up Your Consulting Business

No matter your level of consulting knowledge and expertise, you’ll find a consulting course that’s suited for you. 

Ready to take the next step and launch your consultancy business? Create your free Paperbell account to keep the admin side of your consultancy business under control!

consulting courses
By Charlene Boutin
Charlene is an email marketing and content strategy coach for small business owners and freelancers. Over the past 5 years, she has helped and coached 50+ small business owners to increase their traffic with blog content and grow their email subscribers.
July 13, 2022

Are You Undercharging?

Find Out In This Free Report

Ever wondered exactly what other coaches are offering, and ​for how much? Find out if you’re charging too much or too ​little by benchmarking your own rates with this free report.

Subscribe to our updates for instant access: