QUESTIONS OF THE MONTH - JULY

Each month you can “ask an expert” who will share her experiences and opinions.  Is there a question you want answered?  We’re sure you may have a few that others can benefit from as well.  So feel free to ask our experts by emailing us at experts@flexperienceforum.com.

To learn more about the experts, click on their names to see their bios.

Work-Life Balance

Robbie Baxter President, Peninsula Strategies Robbie Kellman Baxter is the President and Founder of Peninsula Strategies, a successful Silicon Valley-based Strategic Marketing Consulting Firm. Robbie helps companies evaluate growth opportunities by examining the competitive landscape, by analyzing the industry as a whole, and by talking with the prospects and customers. Her clients, who range from startups to industry leaders, have included Netflix, Yahoo!, PayCycle, Zoomerang, Sun Microsystems, and Oracle. Robbie tried her hand at a part-time position at a high-tech firm years ago, but found it unfulfilling. She currently runs her lucrative consulting practice on a part time basis, working an average of 30 hours per week. Her current path has been her most fulfilling yet, offering a unique combination of challenging and interesting work, significant earning potential, and more time and flexibility for family.  Robbie graduated with honors from Harvard College and received her MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. A longtime resident of the Peninsula, Robbie lives in Menlo Park with her husband Bob and three children Molly (almost 9), Annabel (6), and Nate (3).

Q: Was it scary to jump from an employed status to a self-employed status?
Yes.  I obsessed about how much money I needed to earn each month to cover my expenses and, more importantly, to feel like a success.  When I started, I made a conscious effort to work with larger more established companies, because I believed I’d have a better chance for ongoing work (which has proven to be true).  Big firms seem to have a bigger appetite (and budget) for strategy work.  I also made up my mind early on to be flexible about the kinds of projects I was willing to take on.  I basically decided to accept any project that paid fairly and was within my skill set.  Over the past 6 years, as I’ve grown more comfortable with the lumpiness of my project flow, I’ve been able to be more selective in the type of work I accept.  When I started, I was afraid of being too picky.  Another scary thing about going out on my own was being responsible for “everything”--administration, finance, IT etc.  I didn’t know what I didn’t know.  In practice, figuring out the logistics is much more simple than I had thought.  The scariest thing about getting into consulting is making the decision to do it.

Q: Do you think you it would be difficult to go back to a full-time job working for a company after doing consulting?
 If you are consulting in a consistent and focused way, you should be developing your skills and expertise in a way that continues to be marketable.  I think most consultants could probably get a job at the level where they stepped off the track with a minimum of effort.  However, the bigger challenge for me is how much my attitude about work has changed.  As a consultant, I am an entrepreneur, totally responsible for my own livelihood.  The thought of working for someone else, giving up the excitement of selling work, collaborating with a broad range of clietns and no longer building my own business that best fits my skills, interests and need—this seems very unappealing.  What I hear from a lot of consultants is that it’s very hard to go back to a full time job after spending time as a consultant.

Q: What advice do you have for people who aren’t really sure if this path is right for them?
Figure out specifically what makes you uncomfortable with consulting.  Is it figuring out the logistics?  Ask some established consultants your questions—it’s a very friendly and supportive community.  You can find independent consultants through your alma mater, by querying your friends and colleagues or by participating in an association like Women In Consulting.  Is it the entrepreneurial part?  If so, you might want to explore some of the larger firms and agencies that place people like you and take a percentage in exchange—Flexperience is a terrific example. Is it the thought of working alone?  You might want to take on a small project and see what consulting feels like for you.  You can take on a project at any time, and decide after your try—one great thing about consulting is that investment costs are low. Just dip your toe in and start talking to people or taking on a  project or two.  If it doesn’t work out, you can always go back to plan b!  But I believe that if you know your strengths, work hard and commit to consullting, you are likely to succeed well beyond your expectations.