From Corporate Treadmill To Independent Consulting Career

Philip Boland

from corporate treadmill to successful independent consulting career

Tired of the 70 hour weeks working for someone else but not ready to retire? YES, you can get off the corporate treadmill AND leverage your experience into a successful consulting career. And you can still be working in a meaningful environment.

Is there is life after the Corporate world?

As an experienced Corporate Executive, have you been wondering how to step off the corporate treadmill without coming to a dead stop? You are not looking to retire but you no longer want to make the necessary sacrifices your current role demands. This is a very common challenge amongst your peers! Until now there have been very few options to solve this conundrum.If you can relate to any of these points below, as I did, you may find my own learnings relevant. Then. read on to learn what I did about it and how it has worked:

  • You do not want to stop working, but are not keen to keep up the time commitment required of your current role.
  • It is time to pull back from the 60 -70 hours per week, being available virtually 24/7 or enduring the constant travel.
  • You would like a "change of scenery" but are worried that another role would bring similar issues. Plus the added stress of familiarising yourself with a new company/role.
  • How is it possible to begin a transition to a work/life balance that you can control?
  • You want a career move that will allow you to scale back your time and commitment AND still provide the satisfaction of a rewarding and challenging role.
  • You envy other professionals who can carve out more time for themselves but still maintain an interesting job and a healthy income.

Accepting Or Controlling my Future… A Practical Solution

I was faced with many of these questions and just accepted it as the way it must be. A solo consulting career did not seem to tick all the boxes for me. So I could not be like my accountant, medical and other professional (and tradie) contacts that were starting to wind back their work commitments; they were not having to completely give up what they knew and liked but I would have to... That was until I discovered a network of executives with similar career paths to my own who had left the Corporate world and were now forging a new career as independent consultants/advisors/mentors. And they were enjoying it. Because it was all within a collegiate framework with shared values; a framework that fostered mutual referrals, partnerships and general support in this new world of independent business. This network consists of a large number of motivated independents covering a vast range of skills, experience and industry expertise. All of which I could tap into and introduce to my prospects and clients for their benefit. And it would allow me to add more value to my clients.Because The Network provides a formal process and ongoing mentoring, the transition from Corporate executive to business owner is smoother. So I could still leverage all the skills and experience I had acquired; and now I could apply it to help my growing client base, all needing and appreciating the help.

A Consulting Career Solution That Works For Me, Would It Suit You Too?

Today I control my diary, the number of clients I want and the amount of time I want to put into my business. And I know this can and will change over time as my circumstances change. I can leverage my industry of domain experience. Also I get exposed to many others with complimentary skills from within the network that I may choose to work with. For the first time in a long time I am learning new skills that I can apply within my business.Would you like to know more about how this consulting career solution could meet your needs? Find what is in it for you personally? Why not catch up informally with me or some of my colleagues from The Network Of Consulting Professionals? It is a free, and obligation-free, networking opportunity with peers; one that offers some individual perspectives into securing the best of both worlds:

  • applying your expertise and interests to solve the business problems over which business owners lose sleep
  • and multiplying your own scope for an energising and rewarding new career, on your terms.

If you are available in Melbourne or Brisbane for one of our next get-together casual events, Register here

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