Two seasoned consultants sharing their unexpected journeys into consulting and what has kept them engaged in the field throughout their careers. Here are 4 things you should learn about getting into consulting…

We Discuss:

• Why did they go into consulting?
• Why stay in consulting throughout a career?

Key Highlights:

• Chris and Whynde share their journeys into consulting, with Whynde moving from biology/chemistry to consulting at a boutique firm where her first client was General Electric during the Jack Welch era (00:01:36-00:03:00).
• Whynde’s first consulting experience involved working on software for GE’s medical machines like CT scanners and MRIs, focusing on pricing and configuration, which helped shape her career through exposure to complex business environments (00:03:22-00:03:42).
• Whynde credits her growth to mentorship from demanding leaders, including a CEO at her first firm and Doug Hackney, a thought leader in data warehousing and business intelligence (00:04:11-00:04:55).
• Chris entered consulting after working in grocery retail as what would now be called an enterprise architect, eventually joining IBM through connections with their talent pool because he wanted to contribute to how their tools were sold and implemented (00:05:22-00:05:50).
• Chris remains in consulting because he enjoys the human element of technology implementation—understanding how different people’s perspectives affect the use cases for tools, creating unique challenges in each environment (00:07:15-00:08:09).

4 Takeaways:

1. Successful consultants often enter the field through unconventional paths, as demonstrated by Whynde transitioning from biology/chemistry to consulting and Chris moving from grocery retail architecture to IBM (00:01:36-00:05:50).
2. Early career experiences with demanding clients like GE during the Jack Welch era established high professional standards that shaped Whynde’s future consulting approach, emphasizing quality and excellence (00:03:00-00:03:42).
3. Mentorship plays a crucial role in consulting career development, with both Whynde and Chris highlighting specific leaders who recognized their potential and provided opportunities for growth despite their non-traditional backgrounds (00:02:18-00:04:55).
4. The human element of technology implementation—understanding different perspectives on use cases and business problems—provides ongoing intellectual engagement that keeps experienced consultants interested in the field (00:07:15-00:08:09).

Check out the Audio-Only version of this episode!

Episode 80: The One About Why Whynde and Chris Got Into Consulting