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Today meet Scott Spencer, Strategy & Growth Expert.
Why did you decide to become an independent consultant? What does it enable for you?
As far as my consulting - I got tired of trying to find the perfect job that was challenging, focused on impactful work in the world, had a great team, and allowed me to afford living in San Francisco. There really was nothing that checked all the boxes.
My consulting practice is a bit a la carte in that I have clients that are not necessarily aligned with my purpose but they pay super well and then I have clients where I'm learning a lot. This combination has allowed me to spend 10 - 20 hours a week on my nonprofit which is where my core passion lays.
What was the scariest thing about going out on your own? How did you overcome this fear and make the leap of faith?
I was dipping my toes into Upwork and other platforms to start to get a feel for consulting but I really needed to build some structure around my business.
Mylance was a huge resource for me to get what I needed to take my business to the next level and really be successful with it.
How do you acquire new business?
I find vast majority of my work through my network which is made up primarily of folks involved with young companies that need backup.
What is your vision for your company 10 years from now? What do you want to be known for?
I may be a bit of an anomaly here but my goal is to work as much as I can for free. I want to convert clients that want to work with me on a retainer so that I can work fewer hours at a higher cost.
There are infinity nonprofits that need ops and strategy expertise to expand their impact. Being able to support them is a lot more meaningful to me than having more money in the bank.
You are also involved in very interesting non-profit work. Can you also tell us more about it?
The two nonprofits I spend most of my time supporting are New Leaf Tree Pros -- helping system-impacted young adults build careers in conservation work -- and Durham Success Summit -- offering leadership development, career prep, and mentorship to college-aged men of color in Durham.
If anyone is interested in learning more or getting involved - please reach out!
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Every Mylance team member has done consulting. We're experts, and we've seen what consulting enables: more time with our families, traveling the world, more time on passion projects, or to start that business we've been dreaming about.
