How adults learn to transition from the corporate sector to entrepreneurial consulting

This qualitative multi-case study was designed to understand how adults who voluntarily left the corporate sector learned to successfully transition to entrepreneurial consulting. This study rests on the following three assumptions: (1) the transition event of moving from organizational life to an entrepreneurship may be a catalyst for individuals to learn and grow; (2) given this transition event often involves the examination of one's worldview, identity, and values, gaining support in this critical reflection process can aid adults in successfully coping with a life change; (3) most of the learning for adults going through this life change occurs informally, in a self-directed manner.;The research sample for this study included 19 adults (12 females and 7 males) who had voluntarily transitioned from the corporate sector to entrepreneurial consulting in the field of human resources.;The researcher drew on three primary areas of the literature to provide constructs for analysis and synthesis of the research findings: the main discourse on power in the adult learning literature; the influence of personal agency and the structural barriers affecting transitions in the literature on career development; and the entrepreneurship literature, with emphasis on the concept of social capital and the dynamic nature of entrepreneurial learning.;The primary findings emanating from this study were: (1) all participants were motivated to transition from the corporate sector to entrepreneurial consulting due to some form of disenchantment with the corporate workplace; (2) most participants identified the ability to build and sustain client relationships as central to a successful transition; (3) all participants cited learning from experience as central to their being able to achieve success; and (4) participants identified business networks and financial resources as primary supports, while the lack of business acumen and low self-confidence were cited as key impediments to success.;The principal recommendation resulting from this study is that executives interested in pursuing this transition process should develop a realistic and comprehensive transition plan including an assessment of their personal and environmental supports and impediments.