Looking for career guidance as I figure out my next professional move.
I’ve been working as an Operations Manager at a small online education company for about 5 years now. The business makes good money (high 6-figures annually) and focuses on financial education with digital products and coaching programs. Since it’s a small team, I’ve handled many different responsibilities:
• Created internal processes and systems
• Handled marketing campaigns and customer service
• Managed software integrations and tech setup
• Hired and managed staff members
• Worked with business partners and affiliates
• Analyzed marketing data and business metrics
• Worked with the CEO on financial reviews
My background is actually in medicine - I was a psychiatry resident before my dad died unexpectedly. That made me rethink everything since I was already unhappy with clinical work. I had always wanted to get into the business side of healthcare anyway.
I really enjoy operations work and it comes naturally to me. But I’ve hit a ceiling at this family business. My current salary is around $75K annually and I want to double or triple that while working for companies that match my values better (healthcare tech, mental health, education).
I’m considering these options:
• Freelance operations consulting
• Full-time operations roles at bigger companies
• Building a personal brand through writing about business operations
I’m also thinking about getting Lean Six Sigma certification since I don’t have formal business training.
My main questions:
• Has anyone transitioned from internal ops to consulting or larger companies? How did it go?
• What certifications or strategies helped you get better paying roles?
• Do companies value hands-on experience from smaller businesses or do they prefer corporate backgrounds?
There aren’t many resources for people in operations roles at small companies - most advice seems aimed at CEOs. Any thoughts would be really helpful!
Hey! I made the same jump from small company ops to corporate 3 years ago - best decision ever. Your medical background will be massive in healthcare tech. That clinical perspective plus ops experience? Don’t underestimate it. Skip Six Sigma for now and focus on building your personal brand. I started writing about process improvements on LinkedIn and it opened doors I never expected. Companies value small business experience way more than you think. We’re scrappy problem solvers who can juggle everything. That’s gold right now.
Your psychiatry background is a huge advantage! Mental health tech companies want people who actually get what they’re doing. Hit up healthcare innovation meetups - you’ve got clinical knowledge AND ops experience, which makes you stand out big time.
Your situation sounds super familiar - I was stuck at a small company making way less than I should’ve been too. Just heads up that consulting can be feast or famine, especially when you’re starting out. Have you tried reaching out directly to healthcare startups? They’re always hunting for ops people who actually get the space, and your med background could be exactly what sets you apart.
Your path from psychiatry to operations management is actually a huge asset - don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. That medical training gave you analytical skills most business people lack, and you’ve got real operational experience to back it up. Here’s what I’d do: test out consulting while keeping your day job. Start small - take weekend projects or evening work to see if you like it and build up a portfolio. No need to risk your financial security right away. Your ops experience at a high-revenue small business? That’s gold for other growing companies hitting the same scaling problems. If you want that salary bump more predictably, go corporate first. Mid-sized companies will likely pay you more upfront than you’d make starting out in consulting. Plus, your ability to juggle multiple functions shows the kind of adaptability big organizations struggle to develop in-house. Target healthcare tech companies where your medical background actually matters. When you’re making operational recommendations there, people listen because you understand the industry from the inside.