There is a massive chasm between being a "Contractor" and running a "Consultancy." I crossed this bridge with YAGNI Infotech, and the lessons learned were often painful but necessary.
1. Process Over People (Initially)
When you are a solo consultant, *you* are the process. To scale, you must externalize your brain. Before hiring your first developer, write down your SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures). How do you commit code? How do you document an API? If it's not written down, it's not scalable.
2. The Compliance Trap
In India, moving from Section 44ADA (Freelancer) to a full proprietorship or Pvt Ltd involves significant compliance shifts. Managing GST filings, export of services bonds (LUT), and international client agreements is just as important as your code quality.
3. Niche Down to Scale Up
Don't be a "General IT Shop." YAGNI grew because we focused on specific problems—legacy modernization, Python automation, and Enterprise Architecture. Generalists compete on price; specialists compete on value.