I got a very sweet email from a past client last week. He wrote, “I was certainly interested to hear that you’ve stopped consulting (a big loss to your clients, I have to say), but I’m happy that you’ve found such fulfillment in putting your energy into your writing. Good for you!!”

Whoa Nellie!

I haven’t left consulting. But I realize now that I have not been particularly brilliant at managing my career from a public relations standpoint. And to be honest, the messaging is a work in progress—which is the point of today’s post.

My first PR faux pas was to use the word “reinvention” to describe what I am doing. Reinvention implies that I’ve left a previous career in my wake. I know brilliant people who have reinvented themselves. My dear friend, Eden Baylee, left a career in banking to become a successful self-published author of erotica, flash fiction and suspense. Now, that’s reinvention! And what I am doing is a far cry from that.

Rather, I am trying to crochet together two hats—management consultant and relationship writer—into one reputable and consistent brand. I’ve dropped a few stitches. I often switch hats depending on whom I am talking to because wearing two hats at the same time makes some people wonder whether I lack the commitment or focus to any one thing. Who can blame them?

My brilliant pal, Alina Kelly, a Brand Communication Strategist, nailed my dilemma: “Your challenge lies in the explanation that knits together the toque with the fedora with the floppy brimmed sunhat sporting a flower, a feather and a scarf. They’re all hats on the same person. The hat isn’t you. It’s just something you wear some of the time, as needed/appropriate. Things learned wearing one hat are often applied while wearing another. But you are still consistently you.”

Thank God for brilliant friends, especially ones who are generous with advice.

Alina continued, “There is NOTHING wrong with being an expert in relationships personal and business, and you have documented success at both. To help give street cred to the “business relationships” side of things, start writing about it. I’m guessing that many of your readers would benefit from both anyway.”

That’s it EXACTLY.

My 2016 goal is to develop an authoritative and sassy voice in both business and personal relationships, cross-pollinating learnings from one sphere to the other. As I’ve discovered, the dynamics, issues, and effective strategies are similar. The reasons people divorce in marriage are not wildly different than why partners disengage from a business, or leaders fail to connect with their counterparts or employees.

I want to continue to write and provoke thinking on personal relationships, because it’s a blast, makes me incredibly popular at cocktail parties, and has taught me more than I ever could have imagined about my own marriage, parenting and friendships. I’m starting to make money as a freelancer and a regular column in a major publication would be nice.

I finally feel ready to extend my same sassy voice to business relationships. I’m taking a journalism course this term (a serious commitment) and currently doing research for a feature on innovative business relationships in technology start-ups, which I’ll aim to get published (and paid for).

And I want to apply my progressive thinking and experience to help business partnerships succeed. Nothing destroys business value and engagement more than a misalignment in expectations. And sadly, that happens all the time. I want to to hash out those expectations, accountabilities and social contracts that sustain profitable and happy business “marriages.”

So, that’s my plan. What do you think?

Photo credit:Alejandro Escamilla (bag-and-hand)/unsplash.com

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