Rationalizing Dual Identities

I’m retired from the corporate rat race, and yet I have established a consulting practice, Haropulos Bailey Consulting. Occasionally, this dual identity profile I have espoused becomes a little awkward to maintain. The issue is really my online presence.

I have a single Google profile and two Blogs. This blog allows me to ramble about my transition to retired life. The other is a professional blog (http://habaconsulting.blogspot.com), in which I expound upon business and career-related subjects. So, am I retired or am I a consultant? The answer is either “Neither” or “Both”.

Assuming that my plans pan out, I don’t ever again have to be a corporate minion. (No offense – that worked out pretty well for me for almost 30 years.) But it doesn’t mean I will never work again. I truly am excited with the idea of applying my experience and brain to short-term assignments on behalf of others. I want to consult on hospitality, customer service, and marketing/communications challenges. My yet-to-be-incorporated company, Haropulos Bailey Consulting, is intended to provide an identity around the services I have to offer.

I’ve done just a little consulting to date, with a former colleague I've known a long time, who is an exec with a company here in Chicago. I hope to do a little more, with other smart people who I respect and like. It’s time to create a web site and reach out to possible clients with a little marketing. A few hours or days here and there of man-behind-the-curtain action would be perfect. My ego no longer has need of the spotlight.

So I’d better think about how to reconcile my retired identity and my consultant identity online. If you Google Laurel Haropulos Bailey, you see evidence of both. Being “retired” could easily adversely affect people’s perception of the seriousness of my interest in consulting. I think the answer is to tweak my online identity as a retired person, and rationalize it with my consulting identity. But how?

Suggestions, anyone?

I'm Mostly Not Working

Today, I was late posting my “Retired Early” blog, because I was working. Huh?

When I retired from corporate life, I never actually committed to a total life of leisure. The fact is that I still feel the need to exercise the part of my brain that has all this work experience rattling around in it. But I had to get off the non-stop merry-go-round of corporate politics, deadlines, budgets, takeovers, counterproductive official hierarchies and assorted B.S., before I ended my career unceremoniously on a bell tower with a high-powered rifle.

So I started a consulting business – Haropulos Bailey Consulting. I figure I know as much or more about a lot of things than many consultants who have been paid big bucks by Hilton over the years. I’m smart, and when I have an assignment I work hard and add a lot of value. I have no financial goals to meet and have spent virtually no money on developing my company so far. Via a LinkedIn connection and a lunch date, I got my first (and so far only) client. I’m doing a little work (a few hours here and there) on a project that interests me, with someone I like and admire. I send an invoice, and they pay me. I kinda like it – my little business.

I need to develop a web site and do a little targeted marketing. I’m thinking about that. I also probably need to incorporate, or I will really limit the potential clients who will hire me. And I’m working on getting Ron interested in joining me, so I have another smart person on board – one with technical abilities I do not possess. He likes the “Creative Engineer” title I have proposed for him. Business cards should arrive next week and provide a small carrot for his involvement.

The rewards from my efforts are a little extra pocket money and brief waves of satisfaction. I am still protective of work infringing on my golf or nap time…so we’ll see where this goes.

Next week, my blog will get back to the steps involved in retirement planning. Sorry for the unplanned detour.