People often ask me: “When did you know you wanted to become a consultant?”
For me, it wasn’t a single moment of clarity—it was the realization that what was waiting for me up the corporate ladder didn’t look like the future I wanted.
After years of working in HR, I had a front-row seat to how organizations calibrate talent, plan succession, and shape career paths. And I had a choice to make: keep climbing or carve my own way.
The Corporate Path Didn’t Fit
In HR, you quickly see the two main tracks:
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Individual contributor: managing projects, initiatives, or systems.
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Managerial track: managing people, teams, budgets, and politics.
Watching leaders at higher levels taught me something important: some loved it, others were simply chasing the next title, promotion, or paycheck. And while that can be a motivator for many, I knew it wasn’t mine.
Call me “Queen of the World” or just plain Garland—it doesn’t move me. Titles and status never fueled me. Purpose did.
Testing a New Path
So, while still working full-time, I started consulting on the side. I tell my clients this all the time: if you’re curious about something, start small.
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Take classes.
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Read the books.
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Get certified.
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Do the work before you fully leap.
That’s exactly what I did. I set up my LLC, took on a few clients, and discovered something life-giving: I liked it.Consulting let me solve problems, think creatively, and use my natural systems thinking mind. More than that, it let me be helpful in ways that felt deeply meaningful.
My Gift: People & Culture
Some folks light up when they see spreadsheets. I light up when I’m untangling people problems.
After 25+ years in HR and leadership, I’ve developed a sharp ability to read organizational dynamics, ask the right questions, and predict outcomes. It’s not fortune-telling—it’s pattern recognition built from decades of lived and professional experience.
The challenge is that people work doesn’t always feel “concrete” to leaders. Culture, talent, people strategy—many see these as vague, “soft” things. But they’re not. They’re the foundation.
Why This Work Matters More Than Ever
When I was doing my master’s in HR Development, we studied the rise of automation. Back then it sounded far off—things like self-checkout were just emerging. Now, they’re everyday.
Today, AI is shifting the workplace in ways we only imagined. And yes, that brings fear—but also possibility. Every technological revolution has opened doors to new kinds of work. The key is making sure our culture is strong enough to adapt.
Because here’s the truth:
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You can have the best strategies, tools, and technologies in the world.
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But if your culture is toxic, innovation won’t happen.
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Without trust, connection, and psychological safety, people can’t thrive.
That’s why I do this work. That’s why consulting called me.
Final Word
I didn’t leave corporate because I couldn’t climb higher. I left because the climb wasn’t mine.
Consulting gave me the space to build, to problem-solve, to help leaders and organizations strengthen their cultures in ways that make real impact. And in a world shifting faster than ever, that work is more urgent—and more meaningful—than ever before.
✨ What about you? Are you chasing the next rung—or building a path that’s truly yours?
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