17/06/2026
I recently had several fresh graduates👨🎓 ask me a bold question: "Can I go straight into consultancy?"
My response was simple: "What are you an expert in?"
Crickets! (Silence!!)
It’s a trend I’m seeing more and more. The idea of being a "consultant" sounds incredibly appealing—the flexibility, the autonomy, the prestige. But there is a fundamental truth we need to share with the next generation:
You cannot consult on what you have never managed, implemented, or lived through.
Consultancy isn't just about knowing the theories or the textbooks 📚; it is about knowing where the potholes are because you’ve already tripped in them. It’s about having the scars from real-world implementation, managing tight budgets 💰, dealing with non-conformances, and navigating workplace dynamics. It took me 15 years of hands-on, in-the-trenches industry experience before I felt ready to step out and consult. When i told them that's how long it took me, they went "aaahhh!!"😲🥹. 15 years 📅 of learning the ropes, making mistakes, and building systems that actually work. To the ambitious graduates out there looking to enter the consultancy or corporate space:
a. Get your hands dirty first 👐. Spend time on the shop floor, in the lab, or in the office. Learn how not to run a business!
b. Learn the 'Why' behind the 'How'. Understand why systems fail and how teams actually react under pressure.
c. Build your track record. Your future clients won't pay for your degree 📜; they will pay for your ability to solve their specific, messy problems based on experience.
Ambition is great, but expertise takes time. Progress over perfection, always—but don't skip the foundation. 📚 If you are a graduate wondering how to bridge that gap, my colleague Dr. Tawanda Collins Muzamwese wrote an incredible book on exactly how to navigate this path and become a consultant the right way. It’s well worth the read.
To my colleagues, friends and seasoned professionals out there: How many years of hands-on experience did you have before you felt ready to consult?
And to the graduates: What industry or niche are you committed to mastering first? Let’s talk in the comments.
