Favorite Parts of Being an Independent Consultant Entrepreneur
Athena, a marketing and strategy consultant, most enjoys the flexibility of her current role, noting that "having a nine to five can sometimes be draining," a sentiment many professionals share. However, Athena also reveals an internal conflict regarding long-term career satisfaction, questioning whether expertise in marketing is a true passion or simply a skill that provides professional success.
Flexibility, Entrepreneurship, Marketing, Subject Matter Expertise, Career Exploration
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Athena Liao
Mktg. & Strategy Consultant, Entrepreneur
Independent Consulting Firm
Yale, 2012
UCLA Anderson School of Management, MBA
Psychology
Consulting & Related Professional Services
Entrepreneurship and Business Owner
Scholarship Recipient, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Flexibility in work arrangements, allowing for work-life balance.
2. The opportunity to become a subject matter expert in a chosen field.
3. The acknowledgment that career paths can evolve and that it's okay to be unsure about long-term career goals while pursuing current opportunities.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in your current role?
The flexibility is definitely a big plus. A traditional nine-to-five job can be draining and soul-sucking, depending on whether you truly enjoy the work. Having flexibility is very nice, especially since many people can now work from home after the pandemic.
Being a subject matter expert in something is also appealing. However, I sometimes wonder if I truly enjoy being an expert, or if I just like this job because I'm good at it. It's a conundrum I've pondered.
For instance, my parents had me start swimming when I was three, and I became very good at it. I'm not sure if I enjoyed it because I was skilled, or if I genuinely liked the activity itself.
Similarly, with being an expert in marketing, I'm not certain if it's something I enjoy enough to pursue for the rest of my life. It just so happens to be something I'm good at.
This is where I am in my career currently, and I think it's okay not to be sure. After all, you have to pay the bills somehow.