How to Move from Expert Witness to Consultant

Over the past few months, I've received numerous inquiries about transitioning into the consulting industry, especially from professionals with backgrounds in different fields. Having studied and worked in engineering for 7 years before making the shift, I wanted to share some key takeaways from my experience: A) 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 1) 𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩: The first step is finding a partner or team that believes in your potential. They will need to invest in your development during the initial period before they see a return on investment. 2) 𝙇𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚: Aligning yourself with a service line or business unit that relates to your previous industry experience can make the transition smoother. This way, you build on your existing knowledge rather than starting from scratch. 3) 𝙃𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙎𝙤𝙛𝙩 𝙎𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙨: Consulting requires a certain level of calibre, as you represent the company. Enhancing your soft skills—like communication, presentation, and overall presentability—will significantly boost your chances. B) 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀: 1) 𝘼 𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙇𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘾𝙪𝙧𝙫𝙚: Despite your industry experience, this is likely to be a complete career shift. Be prepared to put in extra hours, especially in your first year, to catch up on business acumen and understand the nuances of consulting. 2) 𝙇𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙃𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨: Consulting typically demands more time than what you might be used to in your previous industry role. This isn’t a walk in the park; be ready for the challenge. 3) 𝙁𝙧𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙫𝙚𝙡: For many, travel is a big part of the job. Make sure you're comfortable with frequent travel or discuss your preferences with the team beforehand. C) 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀: 1) 𝘽𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚: Consulting offers unparalleled exposure to diverse industries and challenges. The experience gained is invaluable, at least for a certain period. 2) 𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙍𝙚𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨: While compensation can vary by region and employer, consulting often offers competitive financial packages compared to other industries. 3) 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚 𝙀𝙙𝙜𝙚: As someone with deep industry knowledge, you’ll have a significant advantage in serving your clients with value-adding insights and hands-on experience. Leverage this expertise to differentiate yourself, rather than approaching your work as a generalist consultant.

Some questions hit my DMs and instantly tell me someone is thinking like a future consultant. Here’s one of them. “I’m leading regulatory affairs, active in industry bodies, and I’d love to take on advisory or consulting work on the side. How do I position myself?” This is the moment most people wait far too long for. They only think about consulting once they’ve left corporate - which means starting from zero. If you’re asking this now, you’re already ahead. From here, it comes down to four things: 1. Check your employment contract Not exciting, but essential. Some contracts block paid work that overlaps with your day job. Make sure anything you do is clean, compliant and conflict-free before you move. 2. Position yourself clearly “Regulatory affairs” is broad. “I help MedTech startups prepare for EU submissions with speed and confidence” is specific, valuable and memorable. Your niche is what people buy. And if you want to make your positioning crystal clear online, I’ve put together a free LinkedIn profile cheatsheet you can put into action straight away >>> https://lnkd.in/dZhubpFY ! 3. Decide how you’ll package your expertise Board advisory? Fractional? Interim? Mentoring? People won’t buy what they can’t understand. Give your expertise a clear shape. 4. Build visible proof Companies don’t buy years of experience - they buy evidence. Show the problems you’ve solved, the insights you share, the panels you contribute to. Make your track record easy to see. And yes, this approach works. A senior RA professional in our network picked one MDR pain point she understood deeply, shared short, practical insights around it, and within a few months she had inbound requests for paid advisory work - without ever leaving her full-time role. That’s the impact of clear positioning matched with visible expertise. If you’re thinking, “that could be me”, start small. Define your niche. Shape your offer. Get visible. Consulting isn’t about leaving your job. It’s about leveraging what you already know to create more impact, more influence and more income. What do you think - is consulting something you’ve ever considered?

There’s a progression I’ve seen time and time again with senior leaders transitioning out of the military or government. After three years of walking alongside clients as they build their portfolios, a clear pattern has emerged. And I’ll tell you this—if you understand the steps ahead, you won’t be nearly as frustrated with how long this takes. Because it does take time. But it works. Step One: Accept an Adjunct Professor Role This is where many begin. You’re an expert—let that be known. Taking a teaching role is more than just a job; it’s a public signal that you’re stepping into a thought leadership role in the civilian world. Step Two: Say Yes to Speaking Engagements Panels, keynote talks, moderating events—these aren’t just about being seen. They’re about learning how the private sector talks, what matters to business leaders, and how to frame your experience in language that resonates. Step Three: Consulting Opportunities Once you’ve shown up publicly, companies start to notice. You’ll be approached for help on specific projects or asked to contribute your insights to proposals. You will also be able to identify ideal clients based on their challenges or concerns. This is your entry point into the business world. Step Four: You Become a Strategic Advisor Months—maybe a year or two—into doing all of the above, you’ll start seeing bigger opportunities. The companies you’ve consulted for now trust you. You understand their ecosystem. And suddenly, you’re no longer a guest—you’re at the table helping shape the company’s long-term strategy. Step Five: You’re In Demand You’ve put in the reps. You’ve attended events, had countless coffees and cocktails, contributed to your clients, and stayed consistent. Now you’re not just “available”—you’re requested. And that’s when doors to private company boards start to crack open. Someone you’ve built a relationship with knows of a seat opening and thinks you’d be a great fit. Here’s what I know: none of this happens overnight. And no, you (the majority) can’t skip steps. Yes, your 30+ years of experience matter—but they’re not a fast pass to the front of the line or a guaranteed seat on a public board. You still have to invest in yourself. You have to develop new skills, hone old ones, and show up—consistently and with value. If you do that, it will come. If you’re ready to take those steps and want a more intentional, efficient way to navigate this path, Leadership Reimagined was built for you. I created the road map, designed to guide leaders like you through each stage—so you can show up with clarity, build momentum, and step into this next chapter with a clear understanding of not what to do but HOW to do it. #servantleader #consulting #advisor United States Marine Corps US Navy US Army Air Force United States Space Force U.S. Coast Guard

Decades of expertise don't guarantee job security. I found that out after getting laid off. For years, I stayed in corporate, climbed to the top, and believed my results spoke for themselves. I thought my expertise mattered, but I was still fired for being "too entrepreneurial." That's when I realized even great performance doesn't protect you from budget cuts, restructures, or a manager who doesn't see your value. But all of that knowledge under your belt is still valuable. That realization led me to start consulting. If you're thinking about making a similar change, here's what I suggest: 1. Start with what people turn to you for. At this point in life, people are probably asking you for advice in one certain area. Focus on that. 2. Start sharing what you know in public.  You can do that through social media, speaking, or even a newsletter. The important thing is that you stay consistent. 3. Attract people who have expensive problems and the money to solve them. Identify your ideal client avatar and talk to as many people as possible with no intent to sell (yet.) 4. Create an irresistible offer. Make your solution easy to understand and the transformational journey clear. 5. Think of sales as leadership. It clears out the head trash you might have about your own offering, and makes it easier for clients to trust you. 6. Create a transformational experience. Prospects want a solution to their pain. Show them how your work creates that change. 7. Share stories of how your clients' lives improved after working with you.  Social proof is powerful. Show your prospects what they can expect from working with you. 8. Ask for referrals. When a client is happy, tell them about your referral program and make it easy for them to share your name. 9. Repeat steps 1 through 8 Refine the process as you go along. Focus on the 20% of work that creates 80% of results. 10. Live your life Life isn't just all work. Build relationships that allow you to maximize the time you have with people in your inner circle. You don't have to change everything at once. You build those consulting skills one step at a time. There are people who'll pay for your insight because they need experience and perspective to solve their problems. Don't wait for a round of layoffs to force you to bet on yourself. Give yourself permission to try. If you're ready to explore if consulting is the right step for you, I built a free Consulting Readiness Quiz. You'll get a personalized readiness score across the 7 critical areas that determine consulting success. You can take the quiz here for free: bit.ly/ConsultingQuiz 📨 If you're ready to book a call send me a DM with the word "ready." ♻️ Repost this to help out your network. ➕ Follow Dale Gibbons to turn your genius into a 7-figure consulting business.