My First Public Performance Review: One Year as a Solopreneur
I’ve never done a performance review in public… so here it goes. Be my boss and have some fun!
I’m at Melbourne Airport, about to jump on a plane to India for my annual retreat — and it’s exactly one year since I went out on my own.
It also happens to be performance review season… so why not practice on me?
Same time last year, I set out to:
Solve complex org issues
Advise boards to have greater impact
Coach senior execs to unlock their potential
Here’s what I actually accomplished (read this part with gusto):
Coaching: Delivered 200+ hours of individual and team coaching with C-suite leaders — seeing promotions, bolder decisions, and renewed energy was the highlight.
Consulting: Led an org effectiveness project for a top professional services firm — deep qualitative + quantitative research across four strategic themes that unlocked insights for their next phase of growth.
Advisory: Partnered with several boards on strategy — helping them stand out, integrate, and balance impact with commercial performance.
Thought leadership: Wrote the Leaders’ Guide to Closing the Gender Pay Gap, hand-mailed 120 copies and shared insights 3×/week for 7 months. (Still love the design.)
Real talk: some days I wondered if leaving corporate was crazy (and I still do!). But every conversation, client, and project reminded me why I did it. To have greater impact.
Learnings for 2026 (said in a more serious voice, kind but clear):
Shiny object risk: Stay focused on the few that matter and keep experimenting with what energises you.
Pipeline reality: work is not in your inbox. Go find the problems, propose the solutions, and fill it consistently.
Promote with courage: Thoughtful, consistent storytelling — or the world won’t know you.
Your turn, Boss.
1️⃣ Warming Up — foundations are solid; story’s just beginning.
2️⃣ Finding Flow — momentum’s building; magic’s happening.
3️⃣ On Fire — clarity, care, and commercial wins everywhere
4️⃣ Go get a real job, Anoop
And if you were my exec coach, what single focus would you pick for 2026?
As for you, try something completely out of your comfort zone, it might scare the hell out of you or totally surprise you!
Former Fortune 10 C-Suite and 2022 HR Leader of the Year. I coach executives, solve complex org issues, and advise boards.
I’d love to help you in 2026, pls reach out.