hang out one's shingle

Meanings:

• 1.

  HistoricalGloballiteralneutral
  • To hang a small sign (a shingle) outside an office or place of business to advertise the presence of the practitioner or proprietor.

• 2.

  USGeneralidiomaticinformal
  • To establish a private practice or open one's own business, especially in a profession such as law, medicine, or a trade.