From Consultant to In-House: What Changes (and What Shouldn’t)

By Christine Speed

For over 15 years, I ran a marketing consultancy where I partnered with small to mid-sized businesses as a fractional CMO. I loved the variety, the autonomy, and the challenge of jumping into different industries, learning fast, and delivering strategic results.

Then I made a shift: back into an in-house leadership role, owning the marketing function for a national SaaS-based company.

It’s been a rewarding transition—and one that’s taught me a lot about what changes when you go from advisor to operator… and what absolutely shouldn’t.

🔄 What Changes (for the Better)

1. You Gain Depth

In-house, you’re embedded. You live the business every day. You see the patterns, pain points, and potential that aren’t always visible from the outside. You’re not just solving for Q1—you’re building something that can scale and evolve.

2. You Build Cross-Functional Trust

As a consultant, you’re brought in to fix or spark something. In-house, you earn influence through proximity and partnership. You get to know your sales team’s struggles, your product roadmap, your internal bottlenecks—and that trust fuels alignment.

3. You Move Faster (Sometimes)

No need for a proposal, contract, and kickoff meeting. When the insight hits or the opportunity presents itself, you can act. That’s a superpower—if you use it wisely.

🚫 What Shouldn’t Change

1. Objectivity

Consultants are hired to see things clearly and challenge assumptions. You shouldn’t lose that when you go in-house. Keep questioning. Keep zooming out. Don’t let familiarity dilute your judgment.

2. Strategic Thinking

It’s easy to get pulled into execution when you’re inside the business, but strategy doesn’t stop being your job. In fact, it’s even more important to hold the long view and make sure your efforts ladder up to business goals.

3. Listening First

One of the most powerful things you do as a consultant is ask great questions. That skill becomes even more valuable inside a company. Every campaign, every content piece, every report—starts with listening.

I’m grateful for the years I spent consulting. That experience shaped how I lead today—flexibly, intentionally, and always focused on impact.

If you’ve made the jump from consultant to in-house (or vice versa), I’d love to hear from you:

👉 What was the biggest shift for you?