You’ve got the business name. You’ve got the legal setup. You’ve started thinking through your niche.

Now comes the part many new consultants miss:

How do people actually find you?

In this episode of The Safety Consultant Podcast, Sheldon continues the 2026 business startup series by walking safety professionals through practical networking strategies that can help them start building real consulting opportunities.

This is not theory. This is the “go make something happen” part of the business.

If you are an EHS professional, safety manager, trainer, OSHA compliance specialist, or future safety consultant, this episode gives you practical places to start building your network before you leave your job, while you are still testing your niche, or while you are trying to land your next client.

What This Episode Covers

In Part 1 of the series, Sheldon covered getting your business legal and structured.

In Part 2, he talked about finding a profitable niche.

In Part 3, he focuses on where to network and find consulting opportunities, including:

Using Upwork to find project-based consulting work
Signing up with Yellowbird as a safety professional
Building relationships through LinkedIn groups
Networking inside Facebook safety groups
Partnering with your local safety council
Using training events to build credibility and attract future clients
Proving your consulting concept before leaving your full-time job

Why This Matters

A safety consulting business does not grow just because you know OSHA standards.

It grows because people know what you do, trust that you can help them, and can find you when they need your expertise.

That means you need more than technical knowledge.

You need a network.

This episode shows you how to start spreading that web in a smart, practical way so you can begin turning your safety experience into business opportunities.

Featured Resources Mentioned

Sheldon discusses several places safety consultants can use to start finding opportunities and building relationships:

Upwork

A freelance platform where you can bid on safety, training, writing, compliance, and consulting projects.

Yellowbird

A platform designed to connect safety professionals with companies needing EHS support.

LinkedIn Groups

A strong place to build visibility, answer questions, and connect with safety professionals and potential clients.

Facebook Groups

Including Sheldon’s Safety Consultant group, where safety officers and consultants can network and share opportunities.

Local Safety Councils

A powerful local networking option where you may be able to offer training, partner on events, or connect with organizations needing help.

Who Should Listen

This episode is especially helpful for:

Safety professionals thinking about becoming consultants
EHS managers wanting a side income
OSHA trainers looking for more business opportunities
New consultants trying to find their first clients
Experienced safety pros who need a better networking strategy
Consultants who want to build visibility without spamming people online

Key Takeaway

Your network can become your first business development system.

But the goal is not to spam people.

The goal is to show up, participate, answer questions, build trust, and let people see that you are the person who can help solve their safety and compliance problems.

As Sheldon says, this is about taking action right now.