Welcome to After the Mothership

Colin Newlyn

Just over a decade ago I left corporate life and looked to begin a business on the ‘outside’. It wasn’t exactly intentional, it just sort of happened, but here I was, out in the big wide world after 20+ years in large organisations of one sort or another.

I started my career and spent several years working in BT, which we often referred to as ‘The Mothership’. I found out this was quite a common term that people used in other organisations (apart from one where they called it ‘The Death Star’ on account of its logo. Well, not JUST on account of the logo but that’s another story…). Now that was behind me and I had to create a new career, a new life ‘After the Mothership’.

That’s exactly what I have been doing these past few years and I won’t pretend it has been easy. In fact, it’s been a very long learning curve because, after spending so much of our life in these big institutions, we’re just not prepared or equipped for this new way of working. I’ve had to figure it out, largely through trial and error, which has cost me a lot of time, money and pain!

I’ve made it my mission to help you get through this major change much more quickly and easily by sharing my experience and hard-won knowledge. I’ve learnt that some issues that come up can take ages, possibly forever, to solve. That means you can get seriously stuck if you don’t have the the right advice and support from someone who has been through it before and really knows the lie of the land.

 

By the way, have you noticed that in all the stories in the magazines, the people who have made this change are always fabulously glossy and really successful? You know, like the ex-ad agency guy who started up a business selling grooming products for male genitalia that’s now doing millions*.  Don’t worry, I know it’s not like that for most of us from day one, so I give pragmatic, grounded, no-frills advice that is based in real world that the rest of us occupy. I don’t shy away from talking about the hard emotional and intellectual work we need to put into work through the challenges but I am there with you,  giving you the  encouragement and support to get through them – although I do draw the line at any personal grooming. Or any physical contact at all, come to that. Except a handshake. And maybe a hug, once we know each other. 😉

One main driver behind starting ‘After the Mothership’ is that, whilst there’s lots of people talking about starting a business and doing your own thing, there’s very little focused support for people like us – 45+ with a long corporate career that has given us a lot of experience, skills and success, and who want to be equipped with the right tools, skills and know-how to be just as successful in this next stage of our career. That’s what I am here for, to give the support and advice that really works for people like us.

If this is you and you would be interested in working with me, email me at colin@afterthemothership.com, let me know where you are at right now and I’ll see if I can help you.

Colin

*(No, I didn’t make that up, someone really has http://www.high50.com/startup/high50-entrepreneur-jonathan-durden-launches-below-the-belt-grooming)