History is Fleeting:
For three decades, the rhythm of his life had been measured in client meetings, strategy decks, and project milestones. Thirty years in management consulting is not just a career—it’s a lifetime of problem-solving, navigating complex corporate landscapes, and delivering solutions that move the needle. He had partnered with clients from nearly every sector imaginable—financial services, manufacturing, healthcare, utilities—each engagement a new chapter in a story of innovation, adaptation, and perseverance.
Along the way, his passport became a tapestry of stamps, each marking a journey to a city (ex. Helsinki, Copenhagen, Seoul, Latvia, Estonia) he may never have otherwise seen. From bustling global capitals to remote industrial hubs, the world opened itself to him, and consulting became his passport not just to travel, but to perspectives, cultures, and opportunities that reshaped how he saw business and life.
His proudest moments often lived in the CRM space—projects where technology and human engagement intertwined. Solutions that didn’t just solve technical pain points, but redefined how his clients and their customers experienced a brand. There were the programs that fueled his energy—where creative vision met flawless execution—and the team left each day feeling the exhilaration of progress. But there were also the difficult ones: the engagements that drained him, mentally and physically, leaving little room for the spark that had once driven his career. These were the ones that made him question if it was actually worth the sacrifice of missing out on family and friend relationships.
Knowing the Comfort Zone
After thirty years, mastery becomes second nature. He knew how to walk into a room and quickly diagnose the unspoken challenges. He could anticipate objections before they surfaced, turn a chaotic discussion into a path forward, and lead teams through transformations that once seemed impossible. The skill set was honed, tested, and battle-proven. He felt comfortable in assuming who to listen to and who to respectfully ignore. Unfortunately, once that callus was formed, and his patience challenged the blinders would go up and any “noise” being perceived would be deflected, this lead to selective listening.
Mastery can also create a comfortable cage. The work was familiar, the playbook polished. The rewards—professional respect, client trust, financial stability—were still there. Yet the question lingered: was this the summit, or simply a plateau disguised as one?
The Pull of the Unknown
Recently, his thoughts began drifting far from the world of RFPs, client escalations, and program risk reviews. Photography had always been an interest, a quiet art that forced him to see the world through a different lens—literally. While consulting had trained him to scan for problems, photography taught him to look for beauty, for light, for composition. It was a way to slow time down instead of measuring it in billable hours.
There was also the allure of blending the two worlds—using technology to push creative boundaries, exploring AI-assisted image processing, drone-based storytelling, or immersive digital exhibitions. The idea of building something where art met innovation wasn’t just appealing—it felt like a natural evolution of the skills he already had, repurposed for a new purpose.
The Edge of the Ledge
Still, the prospect of stepping away from the familiar came with its own quiet fear. Consulting had been his safety net, his identity, his stage. To step onto a ledge and leap into something unknown meant risking that comfort.
What if the thrill of photography faded after the novelty wore off?
What if blending art and tech never gained traction?
What if leaving consulting meant leaving behind not just a career, but a core part of himself?
These questions weren’t just hypothetical—they carried the weight of real-life consequences. And yet, he knew that staying too long in the same place could quietly drain him just as much as the hardest project ever had.
The Path Forward
The truth is, there’s no single right answer. The next chapter doesn’t have to be a clean break; it could be a bridge. Perhaps it’s continuing in consulting, but selectively—choosing projects that excite, while carving out space for photography and creative technology ventures.
Or maybe it’s a phased transition—leveraging consulting expertise to fund and launch a photography business that incorporates emerging tech: VR travel experiences, AI-generated art exhibitions, or global storytelling projects that merge data with imagery.
And perhaps, the ultimate goal is not to replicate the success of his consulting career, but to build something that delivers a different kind of return—fulfillment, creative freedom, and the joy of waking up every day knowing that the work ahead is chosen, not assigned.
Things could get exciting the next few years and I hope that you will join in this journey and offer support, recommendations and lessons-learned, as this is something that we can all sample together.
We discuss this and other topics on (Spotify)
De Lio Tech Trends 