Thinking about a career as an independent interim manager or consultant?
It’s 2026. Permanent roles still exist, job titles are still vague, and “digital transformation” somehow survived another decade.
At the same time, more professionals are quietly asking themselves a dangerous question:
Should I go independent?
Before you romanticise freedom, invoices, and confident LinkedIn posts about “choosing your own path”, let’s be honest about both sides of the story.
The advantages:
- Freedom (the real kind)
You choose assignments, clients, locations, and sometimes even your calendar. No annual performance review rituals. No internal politics disguised as alignment. - Impact from day one
Interims and consultants are brought in to fix, build, or unblock things. You are expected to add value quickly. That clarity is refreshing. - Variety without starting over
Different environments, systems, and challenges, without resetting your career every two years. - Market-driven compensation
Strong expertise is rewarded. Not instantly and not effortlessly, but the ceiling is higher than in most permanent roles.
The disadvantages (the part people skip)
- No guaranteed work
No assignment means no income. Anyone promising certainty is selling fiction. - You are your own brand
Sales, positioning, admin, contracts, taxes. All included. No exceptions. - Loneliness is real
No built-in team, no hallway sparring partners, no easy reality check unless you create it yourself. - Staying relevant is non-negotiable
Skills expire. Tools evolve. AI is not impressed by what worked ten years ago.
Because there can still be a WE in being Independent
Going independent does not have to mean going it alone.
Yes, you are an I on paper. Your own entity, your own risk, your own responsibility.
But the strongest independents rarely operate as lone wolves.
They build a WE around themselves.
Peers to challenge their thinking.
A network that senses the market.
People who have seen the same mess before and already know where it breaks.
That collective does not remove risk.
It does not guarantee work.
But it makes you sharper, faster, and less alone when decisions matter.
Where Pecunia fits in
Pecunia is a network of 300+ interim managers and consultants, from junior to medior to very senior.
From AI, Power BI, and data, to treasury, TMS, and transformation.
From the Netherlands to Mumbai, Canada, and Colombia.
We don’t promise assignments…But we do help you think, position, connect, and navigate the market more intelligently than you would on your own.
You keep your independence,
with the structure and support most independents lack.
Curious, but not convinced yet?
Good. Skepticism is healthy.
If you’re considering the move or are already independent and wondering how to do it better, we offer a free brainstorming session. No pitch. No pressure. Just an honest conversation about whether this path actually fits you.
Because independence is powerful.
And pretending it’s effortless is how people get disappointed fast.
And yes, there can still be a WE in being I.
That’s usually where the real strength comes from. Reach out HERE OR BOOK A MEETING
Still thinking about going independent?
Before you decide, we created a short survey for professionals who are considering the move (or already living it).
It’s not about right or wrong answers.
It’s about reflecting — and seeing how your thinking compares to others who are asking the same questions.
Because independence doesn’t have to mean figuring everything out in isolation.
Sometimes, the first step toward a strong WE is realizing you’re not the only I.
