After a decade or two in corporate life, many experienced professionals reach a crossroads. Career momentum slows, bureaucracy grows frustrating, and a nagging question emerges: what next? Independent consulting often appears on the horizon as an attractive but uncertain possibility. The prospect of applying your expertise across different challenges while gaining more autonomy sounds appealing, but doubts linger. How would you navigate without the corporate infrastructure? Would your experience translate effectively?
Anita's journey from senior corporate leader to thriving independent consultant across Southeast Asia, India, and the Middle East offers valuable insights for professionals contemplating this transition. Rather than starting over, she built forward, leveraging her 16 years in global banking and tech into a dynamic consulting career.
This is her story.
For Anita, the transition wasn't triggered by a single moment but rather a culmination of experiences and aspirations. A denied promotion in 2018 prompted her to reassess her trajectory after years at institutions like Bank of America, BNP Paribas, and MSCI.
"I felt stuck in a repetitive corporate cycle," Anita recalls. The structured advancement path that once provided clarity now felt constraining. She craved exposure to global projects and fresh challenges that would accelerate her learning beyond what her corporate role could offer.
Her entry into consulting began unexpectedly during a sabbatical when a talent platform reached out about an advisory opportunity. Initially sceptical, she took a leap of faith that launched her independent career.
This timing highlights a crucial insight: the ideal moment to consider independent consulting isn't when you're forced out but when you sense your growth stalling. When you've mastered your current environment but feel ready for broader challenges, consulting offers a way to expand your impact without abandoning your hard-won expertise.
Corporate foundations as consulting assets
Anita discovered that her years in large organisations had equipped her with invaluable consulting capabilities, many of which she had taken for granted. Her experience in complex corporate environments taught her systems thinking – understanding how even small changes influence larger ecosystems. This perspective proved essential when advising clients on transformation initiatives where seemingly minor adjustments could cascade through an organisation.
Corporate life had also honed her stakeholder management skills. Years of navigating matrix reporting structures and cross-regional teams prepared her to communicate effectively across layers – from C-suite executives to regional heads and implementation teams.
Perhaps most valuable was her developed executive presence. Translating complex problems into clear frameworks for senior leadership had become second nature, a skill that consulting firms and their clients immediately valued.
Anita's first independent assignment catapulted her into Indonesia's business landscape – a culture and market unfamiliar to her. Her very first day involved a client lunch where she needed to establish credibility while still learning local customs.
Despite initial anxiety, she found that her corporate exposure to global teams had built her cultural adaptability. The key was leading with curiosity and openness rather than assumed expertise.
"I quickly realised that consultants often create unnecessary barriers for themselves," she notes. "By being genuinely curious and approachable from day one, I built trust much faster than colleagues who maintained rigid professional boundaries."
This openness served her particularly well when working alongside consulting firm teams. Her project required close collaboration with both client stakeholders and BCG consultants – each with distinct working styles and expectations. Rather than positioning herself as an outsider, she integrated into both worlds, adapting her communication approach for each audience.
The lesson? Your corporate background likely exposed you to diverse stakeholders and working styles. This adaptability transfers remarkably well to consulting contexts, where success depends on quickly establishing rapport across various organisational cultures.
Ready for a deeper dive? Download our curated handbook for practical tips on making the most of your first project
Balancing corporate and startup engagements
As Anita's independent practice evolved, she found herself working across the spectrum from established corporations to agile startups. Each required different approaches while still drawing on her corporate foundation.
"Startups operate at a completely different pace," she observes. "They need visible impact within weeks, not quarters. They value experimentation and rapid iteration over lengthy analysis."
With startups, Anita learned to deliver quick wins before introducing more comprehensive strategies. Her corporate rigour helped bring strategic thinking to entrepreneurial environments, while she adapted her delivery timelines to match their accelerated expectations.
Corporate clients, meanwhile, benefited from her ability to navigate complex approval processes and stakeholder dynamics – familiar territory from her years in large organisations. She could "speak corporate" to multinational clients while switching to "speak hustle" with startups.
"Your corporate instincts aren't baggage – they're tools in your consulting toolkit," Anita emphasises. "The key is knowing when to deploy which approach based on the client's culture and needs."
To learn more about moving beyond the big firms, read more
Independent consulting brings tremendous freedom but also unpredictability. Projects end unexpectedly, market conditions shift, and the responsibility for finding the next opportunity rests entirely on your shoulders.
Anita experienced this firsthand when client strategies changed suddenly, leading to contract truncations. Rather than seeing these moments as failures, she reframed them as inherent to the independent journey.
"Embracing both independence and uncertainty builds lasting confidence," she reflects. "That confidence carries through to client relationships and ultimately shapes your reputation."
For professionals accustomed to corporate stability, this mindset shift represents perhaps the biggest adjustment. Yet Anita found that the same skills that helped her navigate corporate restructurings, and strategic pivots served her well in managing the consulting lifecycle.
Smart consultants prepare financially for gaps between projects while using downtime strategically for learning and network building. This approach transforms uncertainty from a threat into an opportunity for renewal.
Despite occasional challenges, Anita has remained committed to independent consulting for several compelling reasons.
First comes accelerated learning. Each project stretches her capabilities more than her corporate roles ever did. The diversity of challenges across industries, geographies, and problem types creates an unmatched growth trajectory.
Second, she values freedom from hierarchical constraints. "In corporate settings, your impact is often tied to your title," she notes. "As an independent consultant, your value speaks louder than any designation."
Finally, she appreciates the extended career runway that consulting offers. With continued relevance through ongoing learning, there's no forced retirement horizon. Experienced consultants who maintain their edge can remain active and valued for as long as they choose.
The ultimate reward? Building your professional arc on your own terms, applying your expertise where it creates maximum impact while designing a lifestyle that supports your broader priorities.
If Anita's journey resonates with your situation, consider these reflection points before making your move:
Most importantly, approach the journey with confidence in what you already know while remaining open to new perspectives. Your corporate foundation isn't something to overcome – it's the platform from which your consulting practice will launch and thrive.
Considering a move to independent consulting? Explore our resources for experienced professionals making the transition or connect with our community of former corporate leaders now thriving as independents.