What work had been you doing beforehand?
I used to be an IT marketing consultant.
Particularly, I coached and educated administration and technical groups in agile software program growth strategies.
What are you doing now?
I am now working Eat Sleep Axe, an city axe throwing enterprise, full-time.
Why did you modify?
The Covid pandemic gave me time to replicate.
Though my work merely went on-line, I started to really feel that I’d wish to take a break from working with massive companies and run a small native enterprise.
When was the second you determined to make the change?
On the finish of the primary yr of the pandemic, as a result of influence of Covid, the financial institution I used to be working with in Brussels ended my contract early.
I made a decision to not search for a brand new consultancy place and, as a substitute, registered Eat Sleep Axe Ltd on January 1st. It was a kind of ‘New 12 months decision’ to pursue one thing completely different that yr.
How did you select your new profession?
As an axe throwing fanatic, I may see the potential for the expansion of the game of city axe throwing within the UK.
I might visited UK axe throwing venues and believed I may present a a lot better axe throwing expertise than many had been providing.
Are you proud of the change?
Very completely satisfied.
The enterprise has proved highly regarded and I benefit from the number of the work.
I’ve additionally been in a position to spend extra time with my household, with my son and daughter each working within the enterprise too.
What do you miss and what do not you miss?
I miss the journey I had with my earlier position.
My consultancy work took me to locations similar to Canada, Egypt, Lebanon, Germany, Belgium, and Jordan, in addition to everywhere in the UK.
I don’t miss the paperwork of working in giant tech organisations.
It was quite common to be working in companies the place the administration had been theoretically asking me to assist deliver change, however then put up many obstacles to keep away from making these adjustments.
How did you go about making the shift?
The top of my Brussels contract offered an in a single day shift from full-time marketing consultant to full-time start-up founder.
I spent about 9 months dwelling off my financial savings, researching and experimenting, earlier than opening the axe throwing enterprise to the general public.
How did you develop (or switch) the abilities you wanted to your new position?
I might developed good teaching abilities beforehand, serving to technical groups to work nicely collectively, so teaching individuals to throw axes was a simple transition.
I additionally had good enterprise growth abilities, from working with bigger organisations, and loved the problem of making use of these to a small enterprise.
I wanted to enhance my very own axe throwing, via a mixture of observe and studying from different coaches.
What didn’t go nicely? What fallacious turns did you’re taking?
Not a lot a fallacious flip, however to start out with I might painted targets to throw at.
I used to be conscious of projected targets, the place you may undertaking quite a lot of video games on the wood goal to throw at. I didn’t wish to spend money on them till I used to be certain the enterprise was going to achieve success.
After a number of months it was clear it was, and I put in the projected targets, which had been rather more standard.
How did you deal with your funds to make your shift attainable?
I used to be lucky to have been on a great revenue, and with the Covid lockdowns, I saved loads from working from dwelling and never having many bills.
These financial savings had been enough to get the enterprise working within the first yr, and I have been taking a wage from the enterprise since.
What was essentially the most tough factor about altering?
The preliminary insecurity of whether or not the enterprise would pay for itself, though luckily that didn’t final lengthy.
What assist did you get? 
I received numerous recommendation from different axe throwing lovers and enterprise house owners.
The game continues to be pretty area of interest and persons are typically completely satisfied to assist its development.
What sources would you advocate to others?
I’m a giant fan of growing the enterprise step-by-step, and located these books very useful: The Lean Startup by Eric Ries, and The Startup Proprietor’s Handbook by Steve Clean & Bob Dorf.
What have you ever learnt within the course of?
I’ve discovered numerous sensible abilities I didn’t have earlier than, in axe throwing, upkeep and many others, together with advertising and marketing strategies.
I’ve additionally discovered that I benefit from the small-business atmosphere the place I’m rather more hands-on in all facets of the enterprise.
What do you would like you’d finished otherwise?
Possibly began a number of years earlier!
What would you advise others to do in the identical state of affairs?
I took a little bit of a leap of religion in quitting one profession in a single day to pursue one other one.
I believe you possibly can construct a enterprise step-by-step, whereas working your ‘day job’ if wanted.
Nonetheless, you probably have the chance to focus full-time in establishing the enterprise from the beginning, I believe it’s far much less irritating.
We caught up with Pete lately to see how his shift was figuring out, roughly a yr and a half on. Here is what he is been as much as, and the most important classes he is discovered.
What’s modified for you in your profession since we first revealed your story?
On the finish of 2023, I handed over the full-time administration of Eat Sleep Axe and began a brand new enterprise, advising individuals on the way to begin their very own axe throwing enterprise.
I’m nonetheless a director of the dad or mum firm that owns Eat Sleep Axe, however I now present consultancy via Axe Throwing Consultancy Ltd.
I am additionally collating the information I’ve gathered in regards to the axe throwing enterprise and shall be publishing it on the web site TheAxeThrower.com subsequent month.
How do you’re feeling about your work now?
I am nonetheless totally having fun with being actively concerned in working a small enterprise, however I additionally now get to journey extra, which I really like.
I’ve visited axe throwing venues in France, Spain, in addition to all throughout the UK. I will be visiting venues in Canada and the USA within the autumn.
What challenges have you ever come up towards since making your shift, and the way precisely have you ever handled them?
The principle problem has been getting a great web connection!
I bought my home in 2022 and moved right into a motorhome full-time. The impetus for that was better flexibility to maneuver round, so I can now work just about wherever.
Quite a lot of my work is on-line and discovering a constant, quick WiFi proved tough. I now have a WiFi booster, which has made a giant enchancment.
How is the monetary aspect of issues panning out, and is that this what you’d anticipated?
I’m incomes lower than I did as an IT marketing consultant, which is what I might anticipated.
Nonetheless, I do not want the next revenue as a result of I’ve decreased my outgoings significantly.
I may take a dividend from Eat Sleep Axe to complement my revenue, however I do not want it, and I wish to reinvest revenue into the enterprise in the mean time.
What have you ever discovered, since making your shift?
The principle factor might be that I might reasonably benefit from the freedom of being my very own boss, than earn extra however be a part of the company grind.
To seek out out extra about Pete’s work, go to https://axethrowingconsultancy.com
What classes may you’re taking from Pete’s story to make use of in your individual profession change? Tell us within the feedback beneath.
