46, Creative Director at a Software Co. Still very much hands on, but work with a variety of teams here at the office. Most of the time I handle the creative work re. the marketing of our software, but we also have a thriving consulting wing at the company, and I work on consulting projects several times a year. Currently working on a big one, web-app...lots of UI/UX work etc..
I think one of the big things that have helped me over the years is having a WIDE and varied background... print, web, UI, UX, branding, etc... I've been working since the 90's so I've had a lot of experience, which has been a big help over the years. Had the chance to try a lot of different things.
As far as exit plans, I think the management track is probably the best bet, as well as keeping investments/savings in mind. My wife is a high school teacher, which in Ontario Canada means you have a unbelievable pension...so that's going to help us both in the future. Also, assets, like a house etc... we bought ours 17 years ago for about 250k....it's now worth close to 900+k.... and we're not moving any time soon...so thats an investment that certainly paid off... we're also looking at getting an investment property in the next year or two as well... when we retire (which is a ways off yet, we can use the rental property for a nice small regular income, and both my wife and I also have 'side hustles' so to speak...I do a bit of freelance design work, and my wife is also a fitness instructor so we have that going as well...
46, Creative Director at a Software Co. Still very much hands on, but work with a variety of teams here at the office. Most of the time I handle the creative work re. the marketing of our software, but we also have a thriving consulting wing at the company, and I work on consulting projects several times a year. Currently working on a big one, web-app...lots of UI/UX work etc..
I think one of the big things that have helped me over the years is having a WIDE and varied background... print, web, UI, UX, branding, etc... I've been working since the 90's so I've had a lot of experience, which has been a big help over the years. Had the chance to try a lot of different things.
As far as exit plans, I think the management track is probably the best bet, as well as keeping investments/savings in mind. My wife is a high school teacher, which in Ontario Canada means you have a unbelievable pension...so that's going to help us both in the future. Also, assets, like a house etc... we bought ours 17 years ago for about 250k....it's now worth close to 900+k.... and we're not moving any time soon...so thats an investment that certainly paid off... we're also looking at getting an investment property in the next year or two as well... when we retire (which is a ways off yet, we can use the rental property for a nice small regular income, and both my wife and I also have 'side hustles' so to speak...I do a bit of freelance design work, and my wife is also a fitness instructor so we have that going as well...