How did you make the transition?
Did you moonlight work in a different client subset than your practice?
Were you able to use your work while employed as portfolio material?
How was it presented on your new site for your solo practice?
I became disillusioned with my former employer so I called the contractors who brought work th the firm through me and asked them if they would support me going solo. They did.
How did the relationships with the contractors initially start? Were you concerned that it could be viewed as you poaching established connections/clients through your former employer? Congratulations on your success.
Everyone I know who went out on their own had one thing in common - a high-earning spouse. Keep in mind that portfolios for clients are not necessarily the same as those for prospective employers. They aren’t the same audience, they’re not necessarily looking for the same things. Is your solo practice going to focus on the same type projects you have now? If you’re planning on residential clients, they don’t want to see your elementary school or university science lab. In fact that runs real risk of being a negative. “We want a house, I don’t know why we were looking at an MRI imaging suite.” I’d be wary of putting together a portfolio that shows work that’s different from what you’ll do in your solo practice. I worked in healthcare and my first side-work residential was for a radiologist who was a health care client. Like another commenter, I did not need a portfolio, my first client came to me. Your employer can be on the hook if you are licensed and doing side-work and you don’t carry your own insurance. So if you’re going to moonlight your way into solo practice, make it legit.