First, Be a Professional

As a consultant, your most powerful tool isn’t technical.

It’s your presence.

You’ll have more influence, do better work, and make clients

want to come back.

I started out as a hands-on technical professional—developer, network engineer, sysadmin.

When I moved into consulting, the shift was strange. People were seeking my advice and acting on it.

That’s when I realized: this isn’t just about what you know.

It’s about how you carry yourself.

A mentor once told me:

He meant it metaphorically.

Just like patients trust someone in a white coat, clients will trust a consultant who projects clarity, calm, and credibility.

That posture—the white coat—is how we build trust, especially when what we’re pointing at isn’t obvious or visible.

In cybersecurity, this is even more important.

We warn clients about risks they can’t always see. Where we see danger, they may see convenience.

That’s why your tone and approach matter.

It’s what turns skepticism into action.

The fastest way to lose trust? Arrogance.

I’ve heard it too many times:

We might know more than our clients—but showing off doesn’t help.

Being dismissive or boastful creates antagonism, and that’s the enemy of influence.

I once hired a penetration tester to evaluate our product.

After reviewing the report, I had questions and invited him to meet with my team.

His reply started with:

He may have been trying to prove something, but all he proved was that he couldn’t be trusted to collaborate. That comment undermined everything else.

You don’t have to like every client. You don’t have to agree with everything they say.

However, you must be the professional in the room.

Keep your language clear. Keep your ego in check.

Keep your posture solid.

The clients who respect you will come back—because they trust you.