How to leave consulting

How I knew it was time to leave and how I approached the exit

Consultants don’t have much time to think about their future.

Weekdays are packed. You’re on calls until late. Even when you’re off, your mind isn’t.

So I carved out time on weekends to step back and ask myself the big questions:

• Where is this path taking me?

• What do I actually want long-term?

• Is this job building toward the life I want?

Those weekends helped me get clarity. And eventually, they helped me walk away from a very “good” consulting career in pursuit of something better for me.

I didn’t just jump, though, I worked backwards from a vision. Here’s how I got there:

1. I defined my long-term vision

This wasn’t just journaling or daydreaming. I reflected on my own experiences—projects, startups, internships. The work that energized me. The people I loved building with. The moments I lost track of time.

All of that helped clarify what I wanted next.

2. I paid attention to who inspires me

One signal that’s always served me well: noticing who gives me energy.

For me, it was people like Graham Weaver and Brad Jacobs. I studied how they thought, what they built, and how they lived—not just professionally, but personally too. If their lives spark something deep inside me, that’s a pretty good clue.

That excitement became a compass.

From vision to execution: my playbook

Once I knew what I wanted, I asked a harder question: What will it take to get there?

Here’s how I tackled it:

• Mapped backwards: I outlined the skills, experiences, and capital I’d need to build a similar life.

• Narrowed my options: This naturally ruled out certain career paths and surfaced a few strong contenders.

• Aligned with my values: I knew I valued smaller, more nimble environments—places where I could be entrepreneurial, wear multiple hats, and have more freedom. I’ve always known I wanted to build my own thing eventually, so joining a hyper-structured system didn’t feel right. You have to get clear on what you value—because what feels like a dream job for someone else might feel like a cage to you

• Confronted the fear: Consulting is safe. Great pay, great people, clear ladder, prestige. Leaving it felt like giving up a winning lottery ticket. But I realized the biggest risk was staying too long and building a life I didn’t want.

• Took the next step: I didn’t need to solve for 10 years out. I just needed to figure out what would move me a little closer.

Tactical steps I took

Once I made the decision, I got to work:

• Reached out to alumni who had made similar moves

• Asked for honest feedback on their paths and lifestyles

• Studied their transitions and what surprised them

• Cold emailed, worked with headhunters, submitted applications

• Tailored my interview prep based on role and industry

It wasn’t glamorous. It was methodical.

But that’s what made the leap feel calculated, not chaotic.

Final thoughts

You don’t need to have everything figured out to leave consulting.

But you do need a vision that pulls you forward—and a plan that gives you confidence to act.

If you’re starting to feel the itch, start there:

Who inspires you? Why? And what kind of life are you actually trying to build?

The rest follows.