Consulting in Retirement
Can Be Very Fulfilling

Consulting in retirement may be an ideal situation for you.  Many corporate executives use this approach to ease into their new retired lifestyle.  It can be very rewarding to offer advice that is helpful and be very good for your self-esteem to have your opinion sought out.  Of course, many executives consult with their former companies while some choose to go into a completely different direction.  You should check out to see if there are constraints on your activities when you officially retire.  Many times working for a competitor is prohibited so it worth checking into to avoid any legal problems.

Consulting in retirement can be done for financial compensation or done by donating your time and expertise while receiving nothing in return except for the satisfaction of being able to offer some guidance to a person or company that can use your expertise.

It is one way to volunteer and probably the most beneficial to the organization where you’re volunteering your services.  If you background is finance, for example, your local church might benefit greatly from your accounting expertise.  My wife made many friends and gained a lot of satisfaction from the time we spent volunteering at our church.  We have kept in touch with many of these friends over the years and, even though it's a four-hour hike to our home in Hudson Valley, we've been lucky enough to have many of them join us for a weekend.

Consulting in Retirement Can Be Done
As Part of Part of a Network 

It’s also possible to volunteer as a consultant to businesses as part of a formal network especially if those business are start ups or part of an industry or program where investment of funds is being directed as part of a grant or other program.  The Service Core of Retired Executives  (SCORE) has been around for over fifty years and has hundreds of locations and thousands of volunteers.  A few of my former associates have been very pleased with their affiliation with this organization and it is very exciting for them to come in contact with new businesses and young entrepreneurs.

It’s possible that this could lead to a paid consulting job but the primary focus here is to be able to give back to the young business owners of tomorrow.  It can be very rewarding when your work with a struggling owner results in a thriving business.  This is a path many new retirees take especially if consulting in retirement was part of their plan to stay active and connected with the business world.

It’s also a way to stay insulated from the very competitive world of consulting which can be a very demanding business and one where you always need to be looking for your next client.  With the volunteer model, there is a relationship that develops that seems to bring out the best in parties involved.  A deep appreciation for experience and youthful energy seems to take on both sides and it’s a place where great friendships are formed, and new businesses are created.

There is a sense of excitement in starting a business and many retirees who have considered consulting work are intrigued by that concept of having their own company.  Keep in mind that, in a lot of ways, it's like having a job again.  When you're a consultant you work at the direction of your client.  It was one of the things that moved me down a different path although I did consider consulting in retirement and did like the idea of owning my own business.

In a way I did a little of both.  I became a retirement "consultant" with this website and suggest way to make the most of your retirement by considering all the possibilities.  I am definitely my own boss because I never have to go anywhere and I can write about whatever I want whenever I want.  It was not something I planned to do but, rather, something I explored when I did a little searching on the internet.  It opened up a whole new world.  I came across many little websites dedicated to some pretty unusual topics.  Clearly someone had a passion about this subject and decided to offer their knowledge as a resource for their visitors.  In a very real way, they were consulting in retirement but not in the manner we usually envision.  There was no need to get dressed up in a suit and make a proposal to a busy executive and argue about their fees.  They had found a way to offer their advice to people who were willing to search them out.  They had turned the consulting concept upside down.

An amazing number of retirees have done exactly the same thing.  They have a skill, an interest or a passion and write about it.  How do they get paid?  Affiliate marketing is the term used for this profession and payment occurs when some clicks on a link and goes to another sight to make a purchase.

I know one retiree whose main purpose in life was golf.  He played all the time and golf "meetings" were the highlight of his work week.  He always said he made his best deals on the golf course.  He was a very good golfer, took a lot of lessons and tried a lot of different brands of clubs, bags and other equipment.  He retired with the intention of consulting in retirement and kept those contacts that he had made during his working career.  What he found, however, was that this line of work didn't lead to as much time on the golf course because consulting was very meeting intensive.  He missed the one thing he enjoyed most in life.  His little golf training website keeps him very happy because he can make recommendations on equipment, provide reviews of the local courses and advertise for just about anything related to golf.  He's consulting in retirement about his favorite subject and having a blast.  When he found out he could make a commission by recommending some golf "vacations", he couldn't believe he hadn't done this sooner.  A website can open up a whole new world for any retiree who has a passion or interest.  While you won't be consulting in the traditional sense, you'll love the freedom this little business can give you.  Why not give it a try?  It's time to Enjoy Retired Life!

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