If you've climbed the corporate ladder, led teams, and delivered repeatable results, you might be feeling that deep, nagging sense that you are ready for more. The question is, how can you transform your years of experience into a profitable consulting business that won’t monopolize all of your time and energy?

In this blog post, I’m sharing my personal journey from digital director to CEO and how you can do the same. Whether you're aiming to pivot into consulting to supplement your corporate salary or replace it altogether, the transition can be both exhilarating and challenging. But the good news is that you don’t have to try and figure it all out on your own—I'm here to help guide you as you pivot from corporate employee to corporate consultant!

My Journey: From Corporate to Consulting

Hey friend, I’m Brianca Kirkman. I’m a personal branding and marketing strategist, and I help professionals like you transform your corporate skills and expertise into a profitable consulting business that runs 24/7. On my YouTube channel, I share weekly tips for corporate professionals who want to transform their corporate skills and expertise into profitable consulting businesses and land their first (or next) client in just 90 days.

Interestingly enough, I didn’t always want to be an entrepreneur. In fact, I initially had my sights set on climbing the corporate ladder to become the Chief Marketing Officer for Target. But in 2011, a marketing class I took during college completely changed the course of my career.

When I first enrolled as a college student, I was initially unsure of the direction I wanted to take, but I enrolled as a business administration and marketing major because a lot of the successful women I had in my life at that time had marketing degrees. The course that really sparked my interest was a social media marketing class, where I helped a local boutique run Facebook ads—back when social media marketing was still in its infancy.

That hands-on experience lit a fire in me. The ability to help businesses grow by getting the right messaging and graphics in front of the right people felt like magic. It was then that I realized that I was passionate about marketing and could build a business around it. Fast forward to 2020, when I decided to leave my job in the middle of the pandemic to go full-time as a marketing consultant. Little did I know that this leap would lead to the creation of the Clarity to Coins program, which is now helping professional women build their own consulting businesses.

Why Personal Branding Is Essential for Your Success

If you’ve ever felt that your skills and expertise should be leading to more opportunities, but you're not sure how to position yourself, you're not alone. Here's the reality: in today’s world, marketing is not optional.

Building a personal brand allows you to stand out and show the world what you’re really capable of. For corporate employees looking to pivot into consulting, personal branding is not just about having a professional title—it's about strategically positioning yourself as an authority in your field, making sure your expertise is not only recognized but that you are top of mind when decision makers are looking for support with the problems you solve for.

When I first started my journey into entrepreneurship, I had no idea that positioning myself as a marketing expert was going to be the key to attracting clients and growing my business. But once I understood the power of personal branding, everything changed. It's about owning your narrative, identifying your unique expertise, and communicating it in a way that resonates with your ideal audience.

For corporate employees transitioning into consulting, personal branding provides a platform to highlight not only the skills you've developed in your corporate career but also the value you bring to potential clients. It’s about crafting a brand that speaks to the specific pain points of your target market—whether it’s leadership development, marketing strategy, organizational efficiency, or any other area where you’ve honed your expertise.

Personal branding helps you build credibility and trust with your audience, making it easier to attract your ideal clients. By owning your story, highlighting your corporate successes, and sharing how you can help others replicate those results, you make it clear to your clients that you’re the solution to their problems. And when you consistently show up with that clear, authentic message, you’ll find that the clients you want will begin to seek you out.

How to Build a Personal Brand That Gets You Noticed

You’ve got the skills, you’ve got the expertise, now let’s make sure that the clients you want to serve know about it and have you top of mind. Here are the essential steps to building an authentic personal brand that leads to consulting clients excitedly paying the invoice:

1. Clarity Is Key

If you're not clear on what you offer and who you serve, your audience won’t be either. When I was building my personal brand, I asked myself, "Do people know exactly who I am, what I do, and how I can help them?" If the answer is no, it might be time to get clearer on your message.

Take the time to define your expertise and niche. The more specific you are, the easier it will be for your ideal clients to find you and understand what you bring to the table.

Think about your past wins in corporate. What quantitative and qualitative examples can you leverage to prove repeatable success?

What are the common threads between these successes?

2. Marketing Is Not Optional

Many people mistakenly think that marketing is something you can do without or put off until later. But the truth is, if you're not positioning yourself as an expert, no one will know to hire you.

Start sharing your knowledge publicly. Whether it’s through blog posts, social media, or videos, share your insights and experiences. Talk about the wins you’ve had in your corporate career and how you can help others achieve similar results. Remember, you can leverage your corporate successes to build credibility in your personal brand.

3. Own Your Authority

It’s easy to downplay your expertise when transitioning into entrepreneurship. But let me tell you this: just because you’re new to entrepreneurship doesn’t mean you’re new to delivering results in your industry. Own your authority and speak about your past wins with confidence. Share case studies, testimonials, and specific examples of how you’ve made an impact in your corporate career.

The more you own your authority, the more clients will trust you as the expert they need when it’s time to hire.

4. You Don’t Have to Do It Alone

Success doesn’t happen overnight, and it’s certainly not achieved alone. It’s essential to have a strategy, a community, and the right support system to help you grow.

In my Clarity to Coins program, I provide a proven framework to help transform your expertise into a profitable consulting business and land your first (or next) consulting client in 90 days.

Why I Created the Clarity to Coins Program

I created Clarity to Coins for professional women who want to package their expertise into a profitable consulting business that generates income consistently, without the burnout. I know that being successful in both business and life is important, which is why I’ve built my program to help you create the work-life balance that suits your goals.

This program helps you identify your signature offer, craft a clear and compelling message, and automate the marketing processes that will drive your sales on autopilot.

Learn How to Build a Personal Brand & Launch Your Consulting Offer

If you’re ready to take your expertise to the next level, I have a free guide to help you get started, Make Them Remember you. This guide will help you create a message that sticks with your ideal clients in minutes. You can download it for free on my website.

And if you're feeling ready to build your personal brand and launch your consulting business, make sure to subscribe to my channel for more insights, strategies, and tips on building a personal brand that gets you noticed and paid.

Final Thoughts

Remember, building a personal brand isn’t about bragging or pretending to know everything. It’s about owning who you are, sharing your expertise with the world, and positioning yourself to attract clients who need your services.

The journey from corporate to consulting can be challenging, but with the right mindset, strategy, and support, it’s entirely possible to turn your corporate experience into a thriving personal brand. Don’t hide your brilliance—let the world see it!

Are you ready to build your personal brand and attract the clients you deserve? Drop a rocket in the comments if you're ready to launch your consulting business and go from hidden gem to in-demand expert!

Join the Clarity to Coins Program

How to Build a Personal Brand and Turn Your Corporate Expertise Into a Thriving Consulting Business