How I Got My First Consultant, Consulting Client: A Journey of Reinvention and Chance
Peter ODonoghue
Grow Your Consulting Revenue | Register Interest For A Free 2025 Proactive Business Development Plan - Link In Featured Section | 25 Yrs+ B2B Business Development | MBA specialising in Buyer Behaviour
Reinvention is a common theme among many consultants, and my journey is no exception.
Over the years, I’ve transformed my career multiple times, each shift marked by new challenges, insights, and growth.
From running a traditional sales training business for SMEs and corporates to transitioning into a productized consulting model for enterprise technology and SaaS companies, the path has been anything but linear.
Eventually, I found myself consulting consultants—a journey that began almost by chance but became a defining moment in my career.
A Turning Point: Change, Challenges, and New Beginnings
There came a point when the grind of constant travel, coupled with personal changes, led me to reevaluate my direction. Living on the south coast of England post-divorce, I was at a crossroads.
My consulting to Enterprise Tech & SaaS with it’s travel, endless workshops and increasingly younger audiences, no longer resonated with me. I yearned for work that aligned more with my values, interests, and lifestyle.
As fate would have it, I was also exploring a move back to my home town of Cardiff for personal reasons. Around this time (2008/9), I had been actively engaging on Twitter—sharing insights, connecting with professionals, and participating in industry discussions.
While social media has its pitfalls, this created a chain of events that there was no way of predicting.
The Chance Encounter That Sparked a New Chapter
An energy consulting company based in Cardiff (my home town) reached out via Twitter. They had noticed my posts and saw potential alignment with their needs. I had no track record or case studies of working with consultants, but the MD just liked my style.
The rest of the story is continued on my personal blog here:
Love to hear your story...
Grow Your Consulting Revenue | Register Interest For A Free 2025 Proactive Business Development Plan - Link In Featured Section | 25 Yrs+ B2B Business Development | MBA specialising in Buyer Behaviour
3 天前And if you don’t want to leave your next client to chance - give this process a shot: https://www.peterodonoghue.com/p/create-consulting-opportunities-from-your-network?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
CEO of The Kormac Group | Trusted Advisor | Authenticity Advocate | Master Black Belt | #1 Bestselling Author of Karmic Selling
1 周Congratulations!!! The high of that first customer will stay with you for a long time.
/amplified introvert/ np. Silent screams from a whispering bullhorn. An oxymoron.
1 周Fascinating journey! What was the biggest challenge in transitioning to a productized consulting model?
I help business leaders devise innovative strategies that harness burgeoning trends, enabling them to unlock new revenue streams and maintain a competitive edge in the changing marketplace | APAC | Americas|
1 周Thanks Peter for sharing your journey. Very often we need to learn from others in order to take the first step. We have lots of experience in sharing what works and what haven’t worked. I am equally wanting to learn from others as well.