Disney Executive to Consulting Entrepreneur: Keith Smith’s Journey Beyond the 9-5

Taking the leap into full-time consulting can be hard — here’s how Keith Smith made his transition easier

Have you ever thought to yourself, “I’d love to have my own thriving consulting or coaching business?”

Maybe you’re still in your 9 to 5 leadership career, dreaming of becoming your own boss but the overwhelm of all that you need to do to get started stops you in your tracks.  

Or maybe you have started a decent side hustle and have some consulting or coaching clients, and want to turn these one-off gigs into your full-time business, but you question how you can make it happen. 

But here’s the thing. With a smart strategy, you can make this transition A LOT easier than you think was possible. And to show you how to do that, I’m excited to have my Brand Messaging & Positioning mentee, Keith Smith to be on the show.

Keith is going to take you behind the scenes of his brand-new business launch, which started for him almost 3 years ago when he first got the idea to retire from his corporate leadership career at Disney. In 2020, we worked on all the foundational aspects of his business – his value proposition, visual branding, and the eventual launch plan that he just executed on.

And guess what? His transition has been seamless. He is proof that when you go slow to go fast, you can achieve your business goals faster in a way that feels like flow…with FAR less stress, imposter syndrome, and money fears. 

Tune in to hear more about Keith’s story and how you too can take a strategic and intentional approach to starting your own consulting or coaching business. 

Here’s a glance at this episode…

•  [0:04:54]: Disney leadership best practices (based on Keith’s experience as an HR executive)
•  [0:17:48]: What drives accomplished people to leave their secure 9-5 and start their business
•  [0:40:20]: How to gain clarity on your business vision 
•  [0:25:22]: How mentorship can ease the transition from corporate leadership to consulting/coaching business ownership
•  [0:33:28]: How Keith repackaged his career into his dream consulting business
•  [0:42:38]: Advice for overcoming entrepreneurial fears

About me: I’m a Business Mentor and Brand Messaging Strategist that helps consulting and coaching business owners turn their consulting and coaching purpose into profitable reality. I accelerate the success of clients like Keith by helping them clear about their business strategy and authentic brand, create messages and visual brand identity and online platform that expresses the unique value of what they do and gets clients excited to work with them. Click here to learn more about my services: www.betsyjordyn.com/services.

About my guest: Keith Smith is the president and founder of Keith Smith Consulting. His business is all about helping visionary executive leaders turn their ideas into implemented reality, using his BA in Theatre, Masters in Human Resources, my 20+ years certification as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR), and three decades of progressive HR experience in incredibly diverse businesses and industries at The Walt Disney Company. Click here to learn more about Keith’s business: https://keithsmithconsulting.com

Related Blog, Video or Podcast Episode:

How to turn your Career into Your Own Consulting or Coaching Business (Ep1)

Employee to Entrepreneur: Embrace a New Mindset with Denise Musselwhite (Ep62)

From C-Suite Executive to C-Suite Coach with Adam Schwartz (Ep13)

How to turn the BEST of your Career into Your Own Business with Lori Smith (Ep10)