From Scheduler to Owner: Why I Quit My Job
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Challenge
Do you stay in the comfort of a well-paid corporate role or step into the unknown as an independent consultant? That question keeps many seasoned construction schedulers up at night. In this episode of the Beyond Deadlines podcast, host Greg Lawton CEO of the AI scheduling platform Nodes & Links puts veteran planner Micah Piippo in the hot seat to unpack his own leap from a global tech giant to a one-man consultancy. Their candid exchange pulls back the curtain on risk, reward, and the realities that never show up on LinkedIn.
Key Takeaways
Freedom beats friction. Micah left the corporate ladder to regain autonomy over clients, tools, and strategy. Trading performance reviews for direct impact.
Runway first, resignation second. He built six months of savings and moonlit with pilot clients before handing in his badge.
Sell outcomes, not hours. Fixed-price, money-back-guaranteed deliverables align incentives far better than traditional time-and-materials billing.
Your network is your marketing team. Early work came almost entirely from past colleagues and partners who already knew his results.
AI is the silent employee. Drafting proposals, crunching numbers, and even basic RFP graphics now take minutes, not days—giving solos a scale advantage once reserved for large firms.
Yes, he’d do it again... sooner. Looking back, Micah wishes he had made the jump earlier and captured opportunities he once watched pass by.
Tactical Takeaway
Tonight, list every monthly expense, multiply by six, and circle the number. That figure is your personal runway. Until you have it in cash and at least two paying side clients, keep your day job but devote two focused evenings a week to securing that first contract. Once both pieces click into place, you can exit with confidence instead of anxiety.
