Welcome to Consultant Cafe: My Surrogate Book

For years, I carried a quiet but persistent desire to write a book. I didn’t know exactly what kind of book. I just knew I wanted to write one.

But like many ideas we quietly nurture, this one waxed and waned. Life, work, and other priorities all got in the way. And if I’m honest, my own deep-seated hang-ups held me back too.

When I started primary school, I only spoke German. English is technically my second language. Over the years, I convinced myself that this made me a poor writer. And when the occasional critic suggested I “couldn’t write or spell”, that self generated story stuck. In time, I came to see that much of this criticism had little to do with my ability and more to do with the critics themselves. Perhaps they didn’t like my style. And that’s okay. But it took me a while to realise it didn’t mean I couldn’t write.

These days, I’ve made peace with it. I write well enough. More importantly, I write with purpose. To share ideas, to help others, and to distil hard-earned experience into something useful for the next person walking the consulting path.

And so, here we are. Consultant Cafe. A place where I can explore and develop my writing for all to see. Believe me, that still feels daunting, but I’m here to give it a crack.

Consultant Café, my living book

Consultant Cafe is the living version of the book I once thought I’d write. Not the book I once imagined I would write, but a living space where I can share what I know best and what I have learned over a long consulting career helping consultants, clients, and organisations thrive.

It is a space for early-career consultants and project professionals, especially those who want to explore their own doubts, grow, deliver real impact, and build meaningful, sustainable careers.

If you are starting out, or building momentum in your consulting journey, you have probably felt some of the same things I once did:

·      The pressure to prove your worth

·      The uncertainty about your value

·      The fear of failure when the stakes are high

·      The quiet creep of impostor syndrome

I have been there too. Consultant Cafe exists to help you turn those doubts into strengths, and those strengths into career superpowers.

Practical Tools, Not Just Theory

As a former consultant and Partner across Big 4, mid-tier, and boutique firms, I know what firms value, how promotions really happen, and what it takes to deliver results, win work, and build a strong reputation. Through Consultant Cafe, I will share the insights, practical frameworks, tools, and techniques I wish I had when I started out.

Independent

Consultant Cafe is an independent space I launched in July 2025, with no corporate agenda. To hell with the naysayers who chip away at your confidence (thanks Jodie Cook for the inspiration and confidence). This is simply me, writing for early-career consultants and project professionals.

This wasn’t the book I originally planned to write, but perhaps something better, built with you, week by week.

Welcome. I am glad you are here.