30 years ago when I was a young Lieutenant in the Air Force, a senior officer told me I was a Lieutenant Colonel trapped in a Lieutenant’s uniform. It’s been a common theme for me in the corporate world. I’ve frequently been asked to fix a problem that I recognized as a Band-Aid because there was actually a larger problem that was causing the issue. Since I didn’t own the process, I generally wasn’t allowed to fix it. I did have the chance to be one of the trainers and facilitators for Vice President Gore’s Reinventing Government program, but I was still generally limited in the changes I was able to implement. I served my country for 8 years, but when the reductions in force started after the Gulf War, I watched my friends get pushed out against their will and I eventually took a golden handshake and set my own course. I’ve bounced back into the corporate world a couple of times, but generally I’ve been a consultant and run my own businesses for the past 20 plus years.
My Journey
One of the last things I did in the military was worked on this new thing called the World Wide Web. It wasn’t even publicly available yet, but I build what I believe was the 23rd web site that ever existed. When I left the military I built one of the first online travel sites (that’s still in business today). I also built websites for everything from luxury resorts in the Caribbean to nuclear decontamination companies. I’ve seen or worked on just about every business model you can imagine. I’ve also coached and been coached. Basically I’ve been there, done that, and I probably have the tee shirt as well.
Why I love Escapees
Sometimes I am more excited about people’s businesses than they are. I love helping people discover their paths, or just promoting what they are doing. If you want to be featured on this site, there is no cost or obligation. It’s just a matter of time before I get to everyone. I regularly have a backlog of submissions to read and edit. I think it’s important to share everyday stories of people making the jump from the corporate world. There are lots of “gurus” out there who are making 7 figures plus, which is inspiring but it can also be intimidating at the same time. While I know some of these people personally, I tend not to feature them because they don’t need the publicity and lots of people know their stories.
I like to work with escapees and future escapees because I can often see things about their business that they can’t. People I work with are usually stuck making a change, or finding success in a particular direction. They generally can’t see what is next. Give me 15 minutes and I can usually map out the next few months or even longer of someone’s life/business. That can be a little overwhelming for some people so next steps are where I usually start with people. The big picture will be there when you are ready.
How I work
I have lots of projects and my larger consulting clients generally occupy normal business hours so individual coaching is nights and weekends. I only work with a few clients at a time. We work on plans, have calls a couple times a month, and focus on moving you towards your goals. There is no long term commitment and it’s about the cost of your daily Starbucks habit.
What’s Next?
If you would like help with some aspect of your business or you are looking for a coach, fill out the form below and tell me about yourself. We’ll see if we are a good fit. We can schedule a 15 minute mini-session and see if it makes sense to move forward. If you just want to get featured on this site and potentially become famous, we can do that to. Again use the form below and tell us about your escape from the 9 to 5 and we will send you a short survey.
