In recent years, one of my great pleasures has been helping people start or strengthen their consulting, facilitation, and training businesses.
If you’re a regular reader, you might recall multiple posts, including New Consultants and Trainers: Five Tips for Success, Five More Tips, and Five Even-More Tips.
Lately I’ve been thinking about the opposite end of the timeline: how to wind down a business. After 40 years working with nonprofits, including 25 years running my own consulting practice, this is the question du jour.
Are you approaching retirement? Are you thinking about how to make the transition? Are you years away, but planning ahead? (Hint: Good idea.)
My story might be instructive.
Two conversations that shaped my thinking
You know how sometimes an offhand comment echoes in your brain long after the conversation ends? Here are two that stuck with me.
My friend Kay Sohl used to close her practice in the summer, when things tend to be slower for consultants. She said, “I love getting up in the morning and not having a schedule. I ask myself: What do I want to do today?”
Yes, please! Can I have some of that?
Around the same time, fundraising guru Amy Eisenstein shared the following over lunch: “I’m just doing one-offs, like training. I stopped taking long-term contracts.” I’m not sure if this is still true for Amy – check her website – but it totally resonated with me.
These conversations happened about five years ago. Little by little, I’ve been shifting my business model to accommodate both goals: more unscheduled time and fewer long-term commitments.
Lacking a better word, I call this semi-retirement.
Semi-retired? What does that mean?
Good question. I’m not totally clear, but it currently looks like this:
Brief contracts. As noted, I am limiting my client work to one-off events: workshops, webinars, virtual retreats, meeting design and facilitation. Yes, these jobs can stretch out a little – maybe I’m hired for a series of webinars or meetings, rather than a single event – but for the most part, everything is one-and-done.
If you love checking items off your to-do list, this is a great business model.
Less travel. I stopped flying more than two years ago – one of many responses to climate change – and shrank my geographic footprint. The pandemic has accelerated this trend. Since last March, when everything changed, I’ve facilitated 75 virtual events. I even lead webinars on how to lead webinars!
Will I ever return to the road? If so, much less than before.
More free time. My calendar includes open days. I spend a lot of time walking in the woods. We cook great food and eat really well.
Yes, less work equals considerably less income. That’s OK. We’ve been saving for years, live pretty simply, and don’t need much. To be honest, my privilege continues to benefit me in ways that I barely comprehend. The ability to design my own semi-retirement is one of those ways.
Boomers, I’m talking to you
I encourage you to hold two contradictory thoughts at the same time.
1. There is SO MUCH work for skilled consultants, trainers, and facilitators … especially people who are willing to put themselves out there.
2. Every job I take is a job that doesn’t go to someone else; perhaps someone earlier in their career, or someone who starts with fewer advantages than I have.
Yes, there is plenty of work for everyone … AND the best way to support the next generation is to get out of the way.
Speaking from one Boomer to another – Boomers, I know you’re out there! – it’s time to step back so others can step up. When you do less, it creates space and opportunity for others to do more.
Sending clients (and consultants) to you
One aspect of my semi-retirement plan is sharing work with other consultants. This isn’t new, but as I work fewer jobs, I make more referrals.
Do you serve nonprofits? Are you building your business? Maybe I can help. Drop me a note and tell me about your specialties.
I am particularly interested in supporting BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, people of color) consultants, trainers, and facilitators. Consider how you can support them as well.
Yes, I’m still available to work with you, albeit in a more limited way. And I’m excited to introduce you to wonderful consulting colleagues who can assist you and your organization.
I promise to keep you posted through Train Your Board. Onward, together!
Good for you, Andy! You have more than earned a slow down in pace! And, of course, it won’t be long before your garden beckons… along with the deer and raccoons and possums and more. Enjoy! Sliding into the next phase is wonderful. Still relevant, but with more time for all sorts of good things.
Shout-out to Andrea, co-founder of Train Your Board! Thanks, my friend. With luck, the deer and raccoons will be gentle with our garden. Haven’t seen any possums here, but oh boy, the woodchucks…
Nice, Andy. I’m just exactly at the same place you are. It is indeed a privilege. I’m also making more referrals and enjoying doing the work that I choose when I choose to do it. Very best wishes.
Love it! Thanks, Barbara.
Good for you for finding a way to make semi-retirement work for you. I retired from “real” work a couple of years ago, but my nonprofit board work (and associated research and webinar attendance) still takes up a big chunk of my days. So now I’m trying to find a way to cut back on that time sink without feeling guilty. I’ve started working on recruiting new board members who can fulfil at least some of the functions I’ve been responsible for, but it’s a long, slow process in a small community with a surfeit of nonprofits. Any ideas?
Hi Pat — Two ideas:
1. Looks for ways to engage people prior to inviting them to the board: volunteer tasks, serving on committees, etc. Build that leadership ladder. A common mistake: we identify complete strangers to our organizations and ask them to serve on the board. What??
2. Simply step back — step by step — and watch what happens. When you step back, others may step up. And if they end up doing things differently … well, perhaps that’s OK.
Enjoy your free time!