How to survive your first year as a Freelancer or Independent Consultant

About this event

Join us for an insightful panel discussion where experienced freelancers, consultants will give practical advice on navigating your 1st year

Taking the leap into freelancing or independent consulting is an exciting but often daunting prospect. Where will you find work? Should you position yourself as an interim, consultant, or associate? How do you set your pricing and build a sustainable pipeline of clients? And how do you handle the uncertainty that comes with self-employment?

Join Garin Rouch and Charlie Goodman for an insightful panel discussion where experienced freelancers, consultants, and interim professionals will share their journeys, challenges, and practical advice on navigating your first year. Whether you're considering making the move or have already taken the plunge, this session will help you explore different routes, avoid common pitfalls, and develop the confidence to build a successful independent career.

What we'll cover:

✅ Should you become an interim? Where do you start?
✅ What about working as an associate for another provider?
✅ How to find your first clients and grow your network
✅ Staying motivated and handling uncertainty
✅ Lessons learned from those who’ve done it

Our expert panel includes:

Sharon Green – Chiara Consultancy

With 18 years as the founder of Chiara Consultancy, Sharon Green is an expert in running people projects across change and transformation, people technology, and employee experience. Before launching her business, she worked in people, project, and management roles in the NHS, not-for-profit, and international law firms.

Sharon holds a Master’s in HRM, is a Chartered FCIPD professional, a certified change manager, and a qualified Agile® and PRINCE2® project manager. Beyond her consulting work, she is co-founder of a global peer-to-peer support community for experienced HR professionals, freelancers, and interims—growing it from 140 to over 3,000 members in 16 years.

Kelly Venkiah – Venkiah HR Consulting

Kelly Venkiah MCIPD is a former Corporate International HR Leader turned Independent HR & Business Consultant based in South Wales. In her first year, she has built Venkiah Ltd around the life she wants and the values she holds. Kindness, respect, and integrity.

Her primary focus is to mentor amazing People & Culture professionals globally, drawing from local, national, and international experiences in leading Global Talent Management teams and HR Operations across EMEA and India. A Generalist, Specialist, and Change Maker, Kelly has worked across Manufacturing, Operations, Services, Tech, Transportation, and Corporate sectors.

Known for her resilience and ability to buck the status quo, Kelly challenges traditional HR thinking to create workplaces where people thrive. She is deeply committed to elevating others to succeed, ensuring that People & Culture professionals gain the confidence, skills, and strategies to drive real impact. With 20+ years of experience, she understands the unique challenges faced by HR professionals navigating complex business landscapes. Through tailored mentorship, she empowers them to lead boldly, influence change, and create meaningful transformation in their organisations, and own careers.

Hosted by:

🔹 Garin Rouch – CIPD Branch in Central London Branch Chair
🔹 Charlie Goodman – CIPD Branch in Central London Secretary

Whether you’re considering going freelance, are in your first year, or looking to refine your approach, this event will offer valuable insights and an opportunity to connect with others on the same path.

Please note:

1. Webinar joining instructions will be sent to you again one day before the event, with a further reminder, 20 minutes prior to the event starting.
2. The session may be recorded and shared with people afterwards. Please bear this in mind and have your camera off if you do not wish for your image to be shared.
3. The chat function will be used for participants to engage with the webinar, so just be mindful of the login name you use and ensure you are happy for other people to see this.
4. For security reasons, it is requested that participants join the live session 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time and with the same name as registered on Eventbrite as not doing so may cause a delay or non-admittance to the event.
5. This event may include an external speaker who has prepared their own presentation. Any views or opinions expressed by the speaker are their own and do not reflect those of the CIPD.
6. This is a Members only event.
7. If you require any reasonable adjustments to enhance your experience, please get in contact with us by responding to this email and we will do our best to accommodate.