PICA Member Spotlights

Q&A with independent consultants who successfully “made the leap” and created the consulting career of their dreams

Q: Could you please introduce yourself and tell us about your business?

A: I'm Rob Garber, the founder of Adeptus HR M&A Advisors. I've specialized in doing the HR work related to M&A for the last 15 years, and a year ago I decided I would do it as an independent consultant.

Q: So you're coming up on your one-year anniversary of being independent. Earlier you mentioned that you're in a very different place now than you were then. What did you mean by that?

A: Well, I went through a career change before I launched the business, and it wasn't a change that I was anticipating having to make. At the same time I was setting up the LLC, I was sort of simultaneously grieving about these changes that were happening in my life, co-workers who I wasn't going to get to work with anymore, a couple of projects that I was really enjoying that I didn't get to carry over the finish line. But the 12 months since have been a total adventure. There have been some valleys, but definitely more mountaintops. I've met a lot of great people over the last year, so I feel really fortunate.

Q: What were some of the peaks or highs at those mountaintops during the last 12 months?

A: Early on, part of my business development plan was to vlog on LinkedIn, and I had no idea what I was doing. It probably took me two hours to record three or four minutes' worth of video. I have to say that part of me felt like, "Who the heck should listen to me or take this advice?" but that vlog has had over 2000 views. It turned out to be a topic that I've been able to open doors to a lot of different connections. I think that’s just one example of why you need to be more confident in yourself and the value of what you have to offer and to look at it as an adventure.

Q: I love that - be more confident in yourself and look at it as an adventure. A lot of people are hesitant to make the leap to independent consulting because they don't know how to do something. You had just finished 14 years with a company that you really enjoyed, you loved your colleagues, and you loved the work you were doing. Then you’re self-employed creating a vlog, something you’d never done before. How did you convince yourself to do that?

A: I was already connected with PICA and I had participated in a number of events. I realized I was surrounded by people who were trying to do new things and by people who knew how to do things I didn't know how to do. They were more than happy to share that know-how. 2021 was about feeling empowered for me, and I've pushed myself to take on things that in the past probably would have scared me. If I'm honest, I procrastinated about recording a lot of the follow-up vlogs to that because it's hard. It's not like those feelings go away completely, but it's been a really good experience.

Q: You mentioned that there were peaks and valleys, so you must have had some challenges in the last year. Tell us about one of the low points or the valleys of this adventure.

A: I think this probably happens to a lot of independent consultants, but having the experience of feeling like you have multiple leads and opportunities and none of them pan out is definitely one of the low points for me. I had several instances where I really thought I had found what was going to be my first client, and it just didn't happen. In those instances, I'd be left wondering, "Well, was there something I did or didn't do that messed this opportunity up for me?" In retrospect, I think it's just the nature of being an independent consultant and working with corporations. I suppose if I think about it, in my prior job I saw plenty of things fall apart when I was hiring consultants through no fault of the consultant.

Q: What's one thing you know now that you wish you'd known 12 months ago?

A: If you're using networking as a business development tool, and that's what I've been doing, you really have to go into it thinking you're playing a long game. Think about yourself as a gardener planting seeds. They're not all going to grow, it takes a while for the seeds to germinate, and you're not really exactly sure when they're all going to show. I've had things happen recently that are kind of crystallizing this for me or making me realize that I was doing the right things for a long time, I just wasn't getting the immediate result I wanted. That probably was not realistic for me to expect anyway.

The other thing I learned is that I can network. It might be one of my superpowers. I really don't have a lot of trouble getting meetings with the people I’ve most wanted to meet. I've been trying to explain to some people who are less comfortable than me just what I do or maybe how they can frame the conversation to get those meetings.

Q: So what do you think is the secret sauce?

A: A technique I’ve tried to use is to not ask for meetings with the intent of telling them about me. So if I'm reaching out on LinkedIn, which is often the case, in my initial message I tell them what I'd like to talk about, and it's something about them. It's either that I want to hear about the challenges in their environment, or that I have an idea I've been kicking around and I'd like to see what they think of it, or something like that. I've never said, "I want to tell you about my business," or "I want to tell you about what I'm doing now," because that's just going to make people feel like you're selling something. I don't like hearing from people if I think all they want to do is sell me something. I don't want those calls.

Q: That's excellent advice. If you had the opportunity to manage the expectations of somebody who's just starting out as a solopreneur, what would you say to them?

A: I learned this from another PICA member, and it's really, really true. You need to go into it thinking that other independent consultants are your friends, and you need to spend as much time developing relationships with other independents as you do with people who you think might be prospects or clients. It's sort of like a game of hopscotch. You kind of have to jump around a little bit, and you don't always know exactly where things are going to end up.

I think a lot of times it's the conversations with other independent consultants who either connect you with somebody they know and have an established relationship with, or it gives you an idea that could work for you, your business, or maybe just motivates you or makes you feel like, "I'm not the only person who's experienced this." There are some PICA members I really admire. When I talk to them and I hear that they've had the same challenges, it makes me feel positive. It makes me feel like, "Yeah, other people feel my pain, and I'm not doing the wrong thing." I'm just going through what we all go through. It's just part of the process.

Q: What's next for you and your business?

A: Well, I've been subcontracting for boutique consulting firm and they want to work with me more. Working with them will give me the opportunity to go after projects that I wouldn't be able to chase on my own, where I'd have to find somebody else I could subcontract with. I bring a different skill set and a different network than they have. I'm really optimistic about what we can achieve working together. So that's what's immediately on my mind, and it'll be interesting to see exactly what shape it takes over the next few months.

Q: How can people learn more about you and your business?

A: I primarily use LinkedIn as my marketing tool. I have a website, which is AdeptusHR.com that will give you an understanding of what I do, but LinkedIn will tell you what I think and the topics in my area that I'm passionate about.

Q: Any parting comments?

A: Join PICA. Join PICA.

Liz: I didn't tell you to say that.

Rob: I know, but that's what I want to say. 😊

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