Why I Belong: Joe Slater

For most of my life, I thrived as part of a team. As a college baseball player and coach and later as an athletics administrator at UC Berkeley, my days were filled with collaboration, camaraderie, and the shared pursuit of common goals. When I was offered the opportunity to assist with the admissions process for Cal student-athletes, I discovered a new career path that felt meaningful and fulfilling. Admissions work was unlike anything I had done before, and I loved every moment of it.

When I decided to take the leap and become an independent educational consultant (IEC), I felt fully prepared to guide students through the admissions process. What I wasn’t ready for was the business side of running my own practice—and especially the isolation of being on my own for the first time.

I had spent my career immersed in environments where teamwork was the norm. As a coach, I worked to identify and nurture individual strengths within the framework of the entire team. I became attuned to the challenges student-athletes face. Later, as an athletics administrator, I collaborated with a team of 30 within a 400-person department. These experiences gave me a strong foundation in leadership, adaptability, and collaboration—skills I assumed would transfer seamlessly to my new role as an IEC.

What I didn’t anticipate was the isolation this work involved. I went from being surrounded by a large, vibrant team to sitting alone in my home office, navigating uncharted territory on my own. Worse, I entered the profession assuming that every business worked like competitive athletics—that every win meant someone else’s loss and collaboration was out of the question. It never even occurred to me to reach out to other IECs or ask for help.

For months, I struggled, pouring all my energy into building my practice but finding myself stalled and unsure of how to make it grow. Then one day, I reconnected with a former classmate from the UC College Advising Certificate program. As we caught up, she mentioned she was nearly at full capacity with clients. This stopped me in my tracks. I couldn’t imagine how someone in this field—someone like me—could find success so quickly. I asked how she had done it, and her answer surprised me: IECA. She explained how attending regional meetings, networking with other consultants, and building relationships through the organization had transformed her business.

I went home that day and signed up for IECA. My first step was to attend a virtual regional group meeting with IECs in my area. Logging onto the call, I was nervous—I didn’t know anyone and worried I was in over my head. Instead, I found a welcoming community of experts eager to share their knowledge and expertise. These meetings quickly became a lifeline, providing practical advice on everything from business strategies to handling tough client situations. Listening to experienced IECs discuss their challenges and successes made me feel part of something bigger than myself.

In addition to these meetings, I began reaching out to other IECA members individually. I started inviting members to virtual coffee chats, not just to network but to learn. Over countless conversations, I asked how they structured their businesses, where they found clients, and how they navigated the challenges of the profession. Each meeting gave me further insights and helped increase my confidence in my ability to succeed.

Later that year, I attended my first IECA conference, and that experience changed everything. Walking into a hall filled with IECs was both inspiring and intimidating. But by the end of the conference, everything had shifted. I met three other IECs who specialized in athletics recruiting, and for the first time, I found myself surrounded by people who truly understood my world. We spent hours sharing ideas, comparing approaches, and brainstorming ways to collaborate. Over the course of the week, we created a detailed plan to work together.

This collaboration has become one of the most rewarding aspects of my career. While we each maintain our own businesses, we’ve built a shared platform to support other IECA members who want to learn more about working with student-athletes. Together, we started a blog, created several online courses, and developed resources specifically designed to help IECs navigate the complexities of athletic recruiting. We even partner with other members for co-counseling, ensuring that families receive the most specialized support possible.

Our group meets weekly to discuss progress, brainstorm new ideas, and refine our strategies. These meetings have not only strengthened our collaboration but also reignited the sense of camaraderie I missed so much. Being part of this team has helped me rediscover the joy of working with others toward a common goal and reminded me why I loved being part of a team in the first place.

IECA didn’t just provide me with professional resources—it gave me back a sense of belonging. It showed me that this profession doesn’t have to exist in isolation and that one’s success doesn’t have to come at the expense of others. Without IECA, I would still be sitting alone in my office, trying to figure things out on my own. Instead, I wake up every day excited to tackle new challenges, knowing I’m part of a team again. IECA turned what had been a solo journey into a collaborative adventure, and for that, I will always be grateful.

By Joe Slater, IECA Associate (CA)