Independent manufacturing efficiency consultant

Owners and plant managers of small and mid-sized manufacturers, machine shops, food producers and fabricators that lack in-house improvement staff.

Day rates, fixed-price assessments or monthly retainers. A common route is a paid plant assessment that leads to a longer improvement project.

• Years of hands-on manufacturing or operations experience
• Process improvement methods such as lean or Six Sigma
• Clear reports and presentations
• Building trust with plant managers and floor staff

• Professional liability (errors and omissions) insurance as well as general liability, check what clients require
• Safety rules on factory floors: follow each client's site rules and check whether OSHA requirements affect your work
• Contracts that clearly define scope, deliverables and confidentiality, since you will see sensitive client information
• Uneven income at the start; one or two clients can make up most of your revenue
• Check whether your state or city requires a business license

Startup costs are typically around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on your equipment, insurance and how much you travel to client sites. These are estimates, so build your own budget before you commit.

Monthly revenue is typically around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on how many clients you win and the size of each project. Income can be uneven at the start, since one or two clients can make up most of your revenue.

Check which professional liability and general liability insurance clients require, how OSHA and each client's site safety rules affect your work, and whether your state or city requires a business license. Use contracts that define scope, deliverables and confidentiality.