Summer 2020: I spent the day sitting on the floor assembling my new folding desk. Even though I was left with three extra screws at the end of the process (and a genuine concern about whether the desk would fall apart the minute I put something on top of it), I had taken the first step to begin my journey with IECA. I set up my laptop, pulled out the binder full of materials, and was excited to start the virtual Summer Training Institute (STI). I welcomed the opportunity to shut the bedroom door for five full days of sessions to learn how to more effectively work with students and parents as well as how to continue growing my new independent educational consulting (IEC) business.

Exceeded Expectations at the IECA Summer Training Institute

Like many of my fellow attendees, I was in the process of completing the certificate program at UC Irvine and looking for a community to support my “solopreneurship.” What I found exceeded my expectations. First, the IECA materials gave me business resources for everything from drafting my contract to how to sign up for liability insurance. Susan Dabbar taught us how to use resources like Pinterest to market our businesses, while Joan Koven explained the practicalities of running a consulting practice. Every afternoon, I met virtually with the Teal Group, my small cohort of 10 students mentored by Mark Sklarow. We asked questions about the day’s sessions and discussed other topics that were on our minds. I was incredibly impressed that Mark, as the CEO of IECA, was willing to take the time to mentor us. He was an invaluable resource, helping us brainstorm ideas about ethics in independent educational consulting and allowing us to recognize that we do not have to be good at every aspect of the business, encouraging us to understand our strengths and be willing to outsource skills that fell beyond our capabilities. Together, we formed a close group that continued to meet even after STI ended. It was exciting to share our different strategies and timelines for developing our businesses.

Becoming an IECA Member

The week after completing STI, I applied to join IECA as an Associate member. For any new member, I highly recommend spending time on the IECA website. There, I found out about the mentorship program and reached out to my amazing mentor, Hanna Stotland. She agreed to mentor me and generously met with me every time I contacted her with specific questions or general business advice. I also attended IECA conferences in Philadelphia and San Diego, which gave me the opportunity to meet IECs who I had taken classes with at UCI and many others from all over the country. I also regularly attend the monthly Associate & Student Members Virtual Roundtable and always leave with notes about issues to consider and strategies for improving my services. Lastly, I am a member of the New York Regional Group and value the connections I have made with other IECs in my area. I often reach out to members of my different IECA groups when I have a particular issue with a client or am looking to refer someone to an IEC with specific expertise.

My IECA membership is valuable to my practice almost daily. I distribute a monthly newsletter to subscribers and often refer to articles from the weekly 5 Minute News emails. Just last week, I had a meeting with a potential client from Illinois and consulted the IECA website to get updates on the impact of current Illinois law on billing clients from that state. I also read the daily College Community Digest emails from the Member Network, which often have interesting questions or useful updates.

Deepening My Commitment by Joining a Committee

Last year, I joined the IECA Outreach Committee, which has been a wonderful way to give back to the community that I value so highly. Working with colleagues to increase IECA membership has been both fun and rewarding. One of my favorite events (and there have been many) was talking to attendees at a recent IECA conference who were not yet members. Hearing them talk about how inspired they were by the educational sessions and the sense of camaraderie made it easy to encourage them to join IECA. Membership in IECA sells itself!

There are so many other reasons that I could mention, both big and small, about how I have benefited from being a member of IECA, from the organized in-person campus tours to virtual College Conversations. I was also inspired by the work of IECA members on the AXS Companion to the Common App.

The good news is, despite the extra screws that remain tucked in a drawer, my desk is still standing and holds copies of many of the resources I have collected from IECA. Overall, I am excited to be a member of an organization that makes me a better college IEC and supports the standards and ethics of the entire profession of independent education consulting. Like many of my fellow IECs, I entered this field because I wanted to help students and their families. Being a member of IECA is an invaluable part of supporting me in this mission.

—Karen Handler Ryan, JD, IECA Associate (NY)

Last updated on February 5, 2024