ThrowbackThursday and consultancy

This week's #ThrowbackThursday remembers the first 18 months of my journey where I juggled a consultancy role as a solicitor alongside setting up my mediation practice. 

When I decided to become a mediator, the aim was to do it full time. I wasn't naive to think that this would happen overnight. I needed a security of income yet time to manage and establish the business, I needed autonomy so that I wasn't accused of my interests in two businesses conflicting with each other, I needed to still be able to be a mammy to my newborn, so much to consider. 

Being able to still practice as a solicitor but as a consultant in roles recognising that I had other priorities, was the perfect opportunity. I spent many hours representing clients in litigation yet taking mediation appointments and also resolving disputes. 

I remember the day I knew it had to give, the mediation practice was growing at a rapid rate and I needed to be able to accept appointments that didn't mean I was working until 2am in my consultancy role. It had been 18 months, I had mediated all day in Birmingham and I was sat in a hotel room working on client files at 2am, I had to press stop. It was another scary and daunting decision but I took it there and then, 2 years on from that decision and so far so good.....