Elis Wilkins Consulting & Coaching

Career Coaching:
• Guiding mid-career professionals through transitions and fast-tracking their growth.
• Helping individuals find purpose, align career goals with values, and build actionable roadmaps.

Speaking & Workshops:
• Delivering engaging sessions on mindset mastery, habits for success, and consulting toolkits.
• Talks and workshops designed for organisations, universities, and conferences.

Career Change Coach | Speaker

I partner with organisations across sectors to solve strategic challenges, drive innovation, and deliver measurable impact through tailored consulting engagements.

Example of recent projects:
1/ Market and Competitive Analysis:
• In-depth market assessments to identify growth opportunities and new business models.
• Delivering commercial due diligence and benchmarking studies.

2/ Innovation Strategy and Ecosystems:
• Supporting organisations in defining vision, mission, and impact frameworks

3/ Life Sciences and Pharmaceuticals:
• Developing performance dashboards and data-driven clinical trial enrollment models to optimise trial outcomes.

Independent Strategy Consultant

Off the path

Build a life you don’t need to escape from.
For professionals rethinking what comes next.

Writer

Sigma Labs

Education B-corp producing high-performance technology consultants

- Responsible for coaching and managing the  performance and development of 35 Junior Consultants
- Developed systems and processes ready for scale  
- Developed an automated KPI dashboard to enable data-driven decision-making

Lead: Performance and Strategy Coaching

Arthur D. Little

Experienced Strategy Consultant, responsible for managing international project teams, with experience in Strategy, Operations and Innovation Management.

Primary focus on science, technology, and innovation working across life sciences, public sector, food and beverage, chemicals and transportation.

I worked with major blue chip corporations, research institutes, innovation districts, and Government agencies across Europe, Africa, North America, the Middle East and Asia.

Winner of the ADL Global Star Case Award - Clinical Trial Transformation - Supported a Fortune 500 client with the rescue and end-to-end management of a clinical trial, saving over $1.5bn in sunk and opportunity costs using a data-driven approach

Strategy Consultant

Arup

Chartered Engineer (MICE) with experience in multi disciplinary projects across the UK and beyond. Particular focus on commercial development projects in London, UK e.g.  8 Bishopsgate (Resident Engineer), 10 Bank Street, 1 Triton Square and 25 North Colonnade.

Structural Engineer

Most high-achievers don’t need more hustle. They need direction.

You’ve followed the script, climbed the ladder, earned the respect, built a strong career.
But somewhere along the way, it stopped feeling like yours.

You’re successful on paper… but restless, burnt out, or stuck.
You know something needs to change. You’re just not sure what, or how to make it happen without blowing up everything you’ve built.

I help high-performing professionals:

1. Get real clarity on what they actually want - reconnecting with their values, energy, and lifestyle goals
2. Make a strategic shift - whether that’s changing role, pivoting industry, or redesigning how work fits into life

The result? Direction, alignment, and momentum instead of endless overthinking or drifting from one role to the next.



My approach:

This isn’t about quitting your job and chasing a vague passion.
It’s about being intentional. Designing a career that supports the life you actually want to live.

Some clients come to rethink everything.
Others know exactly what they want but need help getting there.
Either way, we’ll get you moving with clarity, strategy, and confidence.


Why me

I’ve been through this journey more than once. From engineering to consulting, to startups, to now building a portfolio career on my own terms.

Each pivot forced me to get clearer, go deeper, and make bold decisions.
Now I help others do the same  with structure, insight, and empathy.


Let’s talk

If you’re tired of drifting, burned out from the wrong kind of “success,” or ready to finally make a move
DM me “CHANGE” and let’s talk.

Switching teams won't fix it.

Here's why the same problems keep following you.

You transfer internally.
New team. New manager. Fresh start.
Feels promising at first.

Then 6 months in, the same feelings creep back.

Sunday night dread.
Heavy effort despite success.
Good at the work, but it doesn't matter.

"What's wrong with me?"

Nothing.

You're just running incompatible software.

The framework:

Your company is the operating system.
Your role, team, manager? Those are apps.

If the OS is incompatible with who you are, no app will run smoothly.

You can install new apps all day.
But if the operating system is wrong, they'll all eventually crash.

Internal moves work when the OS is good but the app was wrong.
They don't work when the entire operating system is incompatible.

The problem isn't the wrong team.
The problem is the wrong ecosystem.

Before your next move, identify: OS problem or app problem?

That's the diagnostic.

Have you ever switched roles only to find the same patterns emerging?

♻️ Repost for someone stuck in the cycle.
➕ Follow Elis Wilkins for more career transitions.

Elis Wilkins

I help experienced professionals change career

The counterintuitive career move:

Take a pay cut. On purpose. Hear me out...

Not because you're burnt out.
Because you need space to think.

Most people jump from one high-intensity role to another.
Wondering why nothing feels right.

The answer isn't in moving faster.
It's in creating space to notice.

Down-regulating isn't settling.
It's strategic.

Lower stakes. Slower pace. Maybe 20-30% pay cut.

But here's what you gain:

Space to sleep through the night.
Space to have dinner with your family.
Space to actually think.

That reflection period is where clarity emerges.

Ask yourself:

What work do I lean into when I have a choice?
What feels friction-free?
What would I do more of if I could?

You can't answer those in the cracks between meetings.
You need dedicated space.

Here's the shift required:

Stop treating busyness as a badge.
Start creating space as strategy.
Can you create 10% more space this month?

Delegate one recurring task.
Say no to one low-value project.
Block one morning for reflection.

Most people never hear their signal because they're too busy.

The most interesting thing about you isn't your job
If you believe that, prove it.

Create space to figure out what else matters.

♻️ Repost if down-regulating sounds like strategy, not settling.
➕ Follow Elis Wilkins for more on career transitions.

JSESSIONID

Oluwagbenga Timothy Shittu PMP®, CSCM® ISO Lead Auditor, IMS, QMS, EMS, OHSMS

Career change doesn't require a giant leap.

It requires a teaspoon of bravery. And a lot of small tests.

Most people wait for bucket-sized courage.

Burn the boats.
All or nothing.
Massive leap of faith.

So they stay stuck.

Here's the better approach:

De-risk everything you can.
Then take a small step.

Small tests reduce the bravery required for the next one.

Conversation with someone in the field
→ Less scary than it seemed.

Volunteering 2 hours
→ "I actually enjoyed that."

Foundation course
→ "This feels right."

By the time you make the real decision, you're acting on 70% certainty.
Not 10%.

Most people wait for 100% certainty.
It never comes.

Meanwhile, they stay stuck repeating loops rather than facing the unknown.

Stop waiting for bucket-sized courage.
Start running teaspoon-sized tests.

This month:

→ Have 3 conversations with people in your target field
→ Volunteer 2 hours doing work you're curious about
→ Take one foundation course or workshop
→ Shadow someone for a day

Each test gives you data.
Data reduces fear.
Until the "leap" feels more like a step.

That's not reckless.
That's strategic.

Small tests. Compounding data. One teaspoon of bravery when it counts.

♻️ Repost if you've been waiting for bucket-sized courage.
➕ Follow Elis Wilkins for more on career transitions.

P.S. What's one teaspoon-sized test you could run this week?

Jade Covington

You hire experts for everything except the decision that affects 40+ hours of your week.

Financial advisor for wealth strategy.
Consultant for business problems.
Personal trainer for fitness goals.
Therapist for mental health.

But career strategy?

"I should be able to figure this out myself."
So you spend 2 years thinking in circles.

Reading every book.
Taking every assessment.
Journaling endlessly.

Making zero progress.

Meanwhile:

Another year in the wrong role.
Another £80k earned doing work that drains you.
Another round of "maybe next year."

The paradox:

Successful people build teams of advisors across every domain.
Except career strategy.

The question isn't: "Am I weak for needing help?"
The question is: "What's the cost of NOT getting help?"

The math:

→ Cost of coaching: £300-£3000
→ Cost of another year in wrong role: 2,000 hours + opportunity cost + compounding frustration

Which is actually expensive?

Getting help isn't weakness.
Refusing to get help when you need it is.

The best professionals don't have all the answers.
They know when to bring in expertise.

That's not failure.
That's strategy.

♻️ Repost to help someone who needs to hear this.
➕ Follow Elis Wilkins for more on career transitions.

Most people optimize for the wrong layer.

Then wonder why the "perfect job" feels wrong.

The 5 Layers of Career Fit:

Layer 1: Lifestyle
Hours. Location. Flexibility. Travel.
Work-life integration expectations.

Layer 2: Autonomy
Decision-making freedom. Oversight needs.
Ability to shape your own work.

Layer 3: Work Style
Collaborative vs independent.
Structured vs unstructured.
Fast-paced vs steady.

Layer 4: Who You Serve
Client type. Stakeholder dynamics.
Team composition. Industry.

Layer 5: Mission/Purpose
Values alignment. Impact type.
Meaning derivation.

The trap:
Most people optimize for Layer 5 (mission) or surface factors (brand, title, salary).

They ignore Layers 1-4.

The result is a "perfect mission" job that structurally doesn't fit how they work best.

Before your next job change...
Audit which layers are actually misaligned.

Not "I hate my job."
But "Layer 2 and Layer 3 are fundamentally incompatible with my needs."

Specificity creates clarity.
Clarity enables better decisions.

♻️ Repost if this reframed something for you.
➕ Follow Elis Wilkins for more on career transitions.

Unpopular Opinion: Don't Give Your Manager Feedback


Unless:
✔️ They've consistently demonstrated openness to feedback from others
✔️ Your relationship is strong enough to handle difficult truths
✔️ It will serve your goals, not just make you feel better

Many managers fail all three tests.

If your manager passes? Here's how to do it right:
Focus on impact, not blame.
Use frameworks like SBI or NVC.
Make it about outcomes: "When X happens, it impacts Y. Could we try Z?"
Keep it specific. Keep it collaborative.

If your manager doesn't pass:
Here's how to navigate:

1. Don't waste political capital
Save your energy for battles that matter.
Focus on your own growth. They're unlikely to help.

2. Minimize friction
Keep the relationship smooth.
Don't create unnecessary tension.

3. Consider skip-level conversations carefully
Going above your manager can work.
But only if:
→ You have documented evidence of impact
→ The org culture supports it
→ You're prepared for potential fallout

Skip meetings aren't about tattling.
They're about protecting your interests when direct feedback won't work.

4. Build lateral alliances
Peer support and cross-functional relationships often create more leverage than managing up.

5. Spot the opportunities
Ineffective managers leave gaps.
Be the one to fill them.

When none of this works:
If giving feedback is consistently risky?
That's not a feedback problem. It's a culture problem.

You're not obligated to fix broken systems.

The company won't hesitate to act in its interests.
You shouldn't hesitate to act in yours.

Plan your exit.

This isn't about staying silent while bad management spreads.
It's about protecting your own interests.

Most people aren't as open to feedback as they claim.
Especially when there's a power dynamic.

The goal isn't silence.
It's strategic wisdom about where your voice creates change.

Not every workplace deserves your loyalty.

Some people can't just quit tomorrow.
But you can start building an exit strategy today.

Operate in the world as it is, not as you wish it were.

What's your experience with giving feedback to a manager?
Drop your thoughts below 👇

♻️ Repost to help others navigate tricky workplace dynamics.
➕ Follow Elis Wilkins for actionable career insights.

Most people are living lives they didn't choose.

Are you?

You followed what they said was smart.
You copied what they said was safe.
You chased what looked good from the outside.

Now you're stuck inside someone else's story.
Burnt out by work you don't care about.
Surrounded by noise that drowns out your voice.
Trying to win at a game you never wanted to play.

You weren't born to follow the rules.
You weren't made to climb someone else's ladder.
You don't need more advice.
You don't need more validation.

You need to stop scrolling.
Stop comparing.
Stop outsourcing your decisions.
Start listening.

To your gut.
To your creativity.
To the voice that doesn't shout but never goes quiet.

That's the only voice that's actually yours.

You'll never find your voice if you only listen to the crowd.

♻️ Repost if you're done living someone else's life.
➕ Follow Elis Wilkins for more on career transitions.

"What got you here won't get you there."

You've heard this before. But here's where it really applies:

Career transitions.

The skills that made you successful in corporate are the same ones keeping you stuck.

Let me explain:

What made you successful:
→ Following the playbook
→ Hitting targets others set
→ Optimizing for performance reviews
→ Playing the political game
→ Delaying gratification

What you need now:
→ Writing your own playbook
→ Defining your own targets
→ Optimizing for fulfillment
→ Ignoring what others think
→ Prioritizing what matters

Completely different skill set.
This is why high-achievers struggle with transitions.

You're trying to apply the same operating system to a fundamentally different challenge.

You can't "high-perform" your way to clarity.
You can't "optimize" your way to purpose.
You can't "execute" your way to meaning.

The muscles you built to climb the ladder won't help you choose which ladder to climb.

That requires different work.

Introspection over execution.
Exploration over optimization.
Questions over answers.

You're not failing at career transition.
You're just using the wrong toolkit.

Time to build new muscles.

♻️ Repost if this clicks.
➕ Follow Elis Wilkins for more on career transitions.

What got you here won't get you there

Often the misalignment isn't about the job.

It's about what's happening in your head.

The culprits:

1️⃣ Outdated beliefs about what success looks like.
↳Still chasing the definition you absorbed at 22.

2️⃣ Identity attached to roles that no longer fit.
↳ "I'm a consultant" vs "I use consulting skills."

3️⃣ Fear of disappointing others.
↳ Parents. Partner. Former version of yourself.

4️⃣Sunk cost fallacy.
↳ "I've invested so much here. I can't leave now."

5️⃣ Lack of permission to want something different.
↳ Who said you had to want this forever?


You change jobs to escape these feelings.
New job provides temporary relief.
But the beliefs travel with you.

6 months later, same thoughts. Different office.

Mindset work uncovers this.
Job changes don't.

Debug the beliefs driving your choices.
Separate your identity from your role.
Give yourself permission to change your mind.
Test assumptions before making expensive moves.

Then job change becomes a tool.
Not a painkiller.

Your next job won't fix this.
But clarity work might.

♻️ Repost if this landed.
➕ Follow Elis Wilkins for more on career transitions.

Mindset and job change

Everyone's talking about what AI can do.

Most people are still waiting for permission.

AI collapsed the barrier between "employed" and "entrepreneur."
And the gap now isn't knowledge.

It's permission.

What used to require dev teams now takes one afternoon.
What used to cost £10k/month now costs £10/month.
What used to need credentials now just needs curiosity.

Kids are building million-dollar businesses from their bedrooms.
Solo operators are replacing entire departments.

The gap isn't technical knowledge.
It's permission to start.

High-achievers spent years in environments that taught one lesson:
"Wait for approval before moving."

Consulting firms. Law firms. Corporate hierarchies.
Places where credentials unlock doors.
Those lessons were useful there.

They become handcuffs when you're building something new.

Here's what my clients discover:
↳ They don't need more credentials.
↳ They don't need a dev team.
↳ They don't need years of preparation.
↳ They need permission to start messy.

Permission to test before perfecting.
Permission to build while employed.

The barrier collapsed.
But most people are still waiting at the gate.

What would you build if you stopped waiting for permission?

♻️ Repost if this shifted something.
➕ Follow Elis Wilkins for more on career transitions.

The "obvious" career move is usually wrong.

Here's why.

Sales and marketing seem like logical pivots for technical leaders.
Transferable skills. Clear path. Makes sense on paper.

But here's the problem:

You're running AWAY from something.
Not moving TOWARD anything.

Let me explain:

When you hate your current role, your brain does this:
"What other roles could I theoretically do?"

Sales uses relationships and communication. ✓
Marketing needs analytical thinking. ✓

Looks good on paper.

But you haven't asked:

"What do I actually want?"
"What energizes me?"
"What values need to be present in my work?"

You've just found the nearest exit.

That's not strategy.
That's panic dressed up as planning.

I've seen this pattern dozens of times:

Technical leader burnt out → considers sales/marketing → gets 6 months in → realizes it's still wrong fit.

Because the "obvious next move" wasn't based on clarity.
It was based on escape.

Before you pivot to the logical option, ask:
Is this what I want?
Or just what seems possible?

Big difference.

♻️ Repost if this hits home.
➕ Follow Elis Wilkins for more on career transitions.

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