What Does a Strategy Career Trajectory on the Expert360 Network Look Like?

I’ve spent 9 months educating top tier Strategy Consultants in Australia about the Expert360 network and my favourite question to ask is “Why would freelancing work for you?”.  The answer enables me to unpack what’s important to the individual and how freelancing could complement their career trajectory.

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Right now, Strategy Consultants are doing a lot of soul searching about what is most important to them. How, when, and where work gets done has changed dramatically, and this has caused consultants to rethink their jobs, personal pursuits, and larger life goals. These shifts have been catalysts for the reevaluation of the contractual nature of work and it is evident that employers are no longer in the driver's seat.

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Many of the Consultants I have spoken to have made the Great Resignation a reality and have taken up freelance roles on the Expert360 network. Here are four top tier Strategy Consultants career trajectories and how the Expert360 network has played a fundamental role in their ‘portfolio career’.

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1. Freelancing to fund or start a business

Bridget Loudon is a former Bain & Company Consultant who was inspired by her consulting journey to create Expert360, and ironically, used Expert360 as a vehicle for freelancing, to allow other Consultants to do the same. Expert360 was born to enable in-demand Consultants to access work on-demand. As a young woman in business, it’s empowering to see Bridget’s vision come to light at work everyday, and support other female Strategy Consultants through their freelancing journey.

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Anna Podolsky joined Expert360's network as a former Bain & Company Strategy Freelancer, with a clear view to freelance part time to focus on her start up. A few short years later and lucrative freelance gigs in between, she is the Founder & CEO of Lyka, a start-up disrupting the pet food industry.

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Another common theme our team is seeing in the market is ex top tier Consultants launching their own boutique consulting firm. These boutique firms staff up their projects through the Expert360 network. Many of the founders of these boutiques were previously Experts in our network, who have turned into clients - agh the circle of life!

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2. A few projects to gain experience in different industries and then consider what is the right permanent opportunity

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Freelancing as part of the Expert360 network can also act as a bridge between consulting and an internal strategy role. It allows you time to think strategically about your next move, explore different industries, and ultimately find your sweet spot. This will enable you to establish yourself as an Expert, build your brand and get access to more senior roles. When I speak to consultants in the market about Expert360, one of the avenues I always explore with them is how they can utilise the network to make sure their next permanent role is spot on.

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Our Strategy team recently partnered with one of our Experts to place them into a permanent role as the General Manager of a rapidly growing online retailer.

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3. Combining freelancing with international travel

As the borders have reopened and international travel has become the norm again, I’m regularly speaking to Strategy Consultants in the market who are heading overseas in the coming months.

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What are they up to?

• They have secured permanent work overseas
• They are traveling
• They are visiting family for an extended period of time
• They are completing their MBA or further study

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What these consultants find very attractive is that they can freelance on the Expert360 network for a few months, while they wait for their plans or VISA to be confirmed.

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Why would they do this?

• Our shorter projects are only 1-3 months
• To earn an injection of cash before they go
• Gain experience in different industries before stepping into a permanent or contract role overseas
• They have always been interested in stepping into the freelancing space for a period of time

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These Expert success stories are prime examples of how Expert360 can compliment your international travel plans. If the Big Apple (or another city) is calling you, let's chat about how Expert360 can fit into your timeline before you go.

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4. Freelancing Part Time

There are a number of reasons why freelancing part time is attractive to Strategy Consultants, but here are the most common themes I see in our network:

• Freelancing part time while studying
• Freelancing part time while raising a family or returning from parental leave
• Freelancing part time while working on a passion project or start up idea
• Freelancing part time while enjoying an extra long weekend

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I’m passionate about all of my Expert’s career trajectories. However, this is definitely my favourite part-time case study to share with consultants who are thinking about stepping into the freelancing space. This is another great example of how the Expert360 network can compliment both your personal and professional life.

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That’s a wrap on four exciting and unique career trajectories on the Expert360 network. Each project, client, scope of work, and deliverables add another layer to each Expert’s portfolio career. What does your portfolio career look like?