June 8, 2015 (Boston, M.A) - Advance Talent Solutions, a certified MWBE organizational consulting firm, is proud to share that its Founder, Aquila Leon-Soon, was selected to participate in the inaugural "Digital Excellence Program" at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.  Ms. Leon-Soon is one of 42 entrepreneurs from across the country selected for this program and was sponsored by Google.  The program aims to provide entrepreneurs from minority and underrepresented communities with the skills and knowledge they need to leverage digital technologies to grow their business.

The Digital Excellence Program for Minority Entrepreneurs, developed by Tuck and hosted at Google’s Cambridge, MA office, takes place June 9-11 and will be led by Tuck Strategy Professor Alva Taylor. 

“The digital landscape has transformed the way we do business,” said Taylor, an expert in innovation, technological change, and new product development and Faculty Director of Tuck’s Glassmeyer/McNamee Center for Digital Strategies. “The emergence of new technologies has not only created unprecedented access to data, but it also offers tremendous growth opportunities for businesses of all sizes and backgrounds.”

Sessions at the program range from constructing a digital strategy and marketing businesses online to managing a digital community. The program will also include intensive sessions on analytics. Participants will have one-on-one access to Google experts, who will consult and present on topics including successful digital business models.

About Advance Talent Solutions
Advance Talent Solutions, a certified M/WBE firm, provides organizational consulting services. Our mission is to help our partners in the public, non-profit and business sectors by developing and executing innovative approaches to meet their human capital and organizational capacity needs.

About the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth
Founded in 1900, Tuck is the first graduate school of management in the United States and consistently ranks among the top business schools worldwide.  Located in Hanover, New Hampshire, Tuck is committed to preparing students for a global career of business leadership and supporting a faculty of acknowledged thought leaders who are also outstanding teachers. Tuck offers a full time MBA and additional programs including the Master of Health Care Delivery Science, Business Bridge, executive education, and other non-degree programs.

About Google Inc.
Google is a global technology leader focused on improving the ways people connect with information. Google’s innovations in web search and advertising have made its website a top Internet property and its brand one of the most recognized in the world. Google is a trademark of Google Inc. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated.

It happens at least twice a week.  I log onto LinkedIn and see yet another connection switching from "Full-time Employee at ABC Company" to "Independent Consultant" or "Self-Employed".  As a mentor to a variety of professionals, it is exciting to see so many people take a leap of faith to explore a new career path. The idea of being an Independent Consultant is very attractive. It is a great way to work flexible hours, work on satisfying projects as well as broaden your network. 

As the CEO of Advance Talent Solutions, we see those status updates as new opportunities.  Like similar organizations, we hire independent consultants to work on some of our projects, allowing us to leverage their expertise to benefit our clients.  But what people do not share often is that independent consulting can also be grueling. You are a small "startup" trying to balance your newly found work freedom while hustling to try to find clients to pay the bills.  The transition may not be easy at first but, once you are over the initial hurdles, it is doable.  Here are 3 tips to get your business together as an Independent Consultant:  

1. Form Partnerships Early with Small to Medium-Sized Firms - Many organizations such Advance Talent Solutions are always seeking talent for special projects.  Create a consulting resume that highlights your past work achievements and appropriate skillsets. Utilize LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to identify which connections are small enough to need temporary support on projects that are in your wheelhouse. Share your new resume with them as well as a concise blurb on what type of projects align with your experience. 
2. Seek Professional Help - Don't know anything about self-employment taxes or 1099s? When tax time comes, you will get a crash course. One of the common issues with switching from full-time employment to self-employment is the change in how the IRS will treat you AND how much you will owe in additional taxes.  Plan early.  Schedule a chat with your CPA to discuss your projected new income and determine how much you might need to save in order to pay any extra taxes owed for next year.
3. Be Honest...with your clients and yourself - For all of my friends in the entrepreneurship space, we hear too often about these "fly by night" consultants.  Here today as a consultant, gone tomorrow as a full-time employee leaving their clients to manage the work on their own.  Don't burn any bridges (or possible future employment opportunities).  Select short-term projects and identify a fellow independent consultant that could possibly assume your work if you decide quit mid-stream to accept the perfect full-time gig.