Anyone here gone from Trust & Safety in Big Tech to independent consulting? How did you actually do it?
I’ve spent ~10 years working in Trust & Safety in tech (policy, operations, enforcement / risk / integrity work). I’m now exploring the path toward becoming an independent consultant.
I’m not looking for generic “just start freelancing” advice. I’m specifically hoping to hear from people who have actually made this transition (or similar transitions from internal tech roles to consulting).
I’d love to understand any of the following
How you got your first consulting clients (especially without prior consulting experience)
Whether you positioned yourself as a niche expert or general
What your first 3–6 months actually looked like in practice
Whether you went solo or joined an existing consultancy first
What you wish you had done differently early on
My background is primarily in Trust & Safety (youth safety in UGC, product, policy , regulations , operational scaling, risk mitigation). I’m trying to understand what actually works in practice for monetising this experience independently.
Any real-world examples or honest experiences would be hugely appreciated.