In the past year, I've helped a founder launch a new not-for-profit to support people living with a rare disease. I've jumped back into the museums' sector to help another client generate over £50k of additional income over 90 days, and I've written copy to reposition a full-service communications agency working in the med-tech space.
Plus lots more — from campaign management, content strategies and meeting new collaborators, sparking new conversations with past colleagues.
Here are a few reflections on my first year in self-employment.
Discovering what I'm good at
I've gained more insight into my skills and expertise than in the previous 15 years working in-house. I now have much more awareness of my skills — project management, collaborative working, facilitation, strategic thinking and campaign management. Plus, I've discovered I'm very good at and enjoy networking, either for myself or on behalf of my clients. Who knew?!
Collaboration is key
While I enjoy working for myself, I love working with others and from collaborating on strategies and plans, articulating thoughts and ideas verbally to someone on the other end of the phone to facilitating project teams, running Discovery or Lesson Learned Sessions, or simply acting as a sounding board for clients and building new networks, new relationships with past colleagues and making new contacts through all of the above.
Variety, peaks and troughs
The mix of busy spells and lean times has been fun and challenging. But, I’ve slowly reprogrammed my brain after nearly two decades of working in-house to embrace and enjoy the complete flexibility and freedom of being my own boss. I now enjoy the busy times while also making the most of quieter periods or spare time — researching new areas, joining new networks, visiting a favourite coffee shop or going for a gentle stroll somewhere.
It’s tricky to switch off, but the knowledge I’m in full control means I’m in a much better headspace that has broken the burnout cycle and given me a better quality of life — the two main reasons I went freelance just 12 months ago.
What’s next?
Continue on the sustainability journey that started at the beginning of this year.
A new David Salmon Consulting brand and website is coming soon!
Keep refining my purpose and practice to follow new opportunities, collaborations and learnings for myself and my clients.
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