How transferable are consulting skills to real businesses?
People join consulting to acquire unique business skills. They plan to apply these skills either in corporate jobs or in building businesses. But many wonder: Are these skills truly transferrable?
This question bothered me throughout my 9 years in consulting.
Rationally, I knew consulting skills like problem-solving, communication, and management must be transferrable.
But I wasn’t sure, and I wanted to test them.
Last year, I started an audacious experiment with the hypothesis in mind:
Can I build a business I enjoy that makes more money with less effort and stress?
My wife thought I was going crazy.
Especially since we were expecting our fourth child.
We made a simple pact. If I can make more money than I used to, I can do whatever I want.
Fast forward a few months.
I launched my product - a coaching program for MBB consultants.
I help consultants achieve high performance, build confidence, reduce stress, and reach their ambitious career goals.
Here are some early results:
✅ 2x: I doubled my income compared to my compensation in consulting as an Associate Partner at McKinsey.
✅ 1/3: I work a third of the time compared to what I used to do.
✅ 0: Zero instances of stress. This achievement is especially important for me. In the last year, my health seriously deteriorated, mostly due to a high-stress environment.
✅ 23 MBB consultants enrolled in my coaching program. They learn together and receive comprehensive coaching support ranging from hard skills like slide-making and problem-solving to soft skills like communication, staffing, and managing their consulting career.
And the joy, energy, and fulfillment I get from helping people change their careers and lives? That’s immeasurable.
These are still humble results, but they are a good start for me.
So, what about the main question, you might ask?
Are the consulting skills transferrable?
Well, to be completely honest, my consulting skills were not enough.
I had to learn many new skills.
For example, public speaking, writing, marketing, sales, product design, and coaching.
I invested around $20k in acquiring new skills, taking multiple courses, and hiring coaches.
Of course, fundamental consulting skills like problem-solving, communication, and management were absolutely critical.
They helped me identify my target segment, develop a strategy, integrate different business components, execute complex plans, and launch a product.
But, the most useful skill was the ability to learn quickly.
That's what consulting teaches us very well.
If you are an MBB consultant and want to achieve high performance, build confidence, and reduce stress, consider joining the Hero’s Journey coaching program.
I would like to speak with you and discuss how I can help you.
Book a 1-1 Discovery Call to determine if the program is a good fit for you.
Learn more about the Hero’s Journey coaching program.