Key Highlights:
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Technical leadership shaped Joshua’s advisory mindset. His background taught him to value judgment, accountability, and careful decisions.
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Ownership mattered more than franchising. Joshua wanted to build something he could own and lead himself.
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Business ownership became easier to imagine. Being around local business owners made it feel more concrete and attainable.
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WSI stood out for credibility and candor. Joshua saw a respected brand, honest leadership, and capabilities he would not have to build for himself.
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His story shows how technical experience can translate into ownership. What he had built in his career became the foundation for a business of his own.
Joshua Haggerty built his career in technology roles where accuracy and judgment mattered. He studied computer science at Texas A&M, earned a master’s degree from UTSA, and worked at USAA, KCI, and MITRE. His work also included projects with the IRS, the SEC, and the U.S. judiciary. That kind of work leaves little room for guesswork. People are expected to think carefully, make sound decisions, and stand behind their judgment.
When Joshua began looking more seriously at business ownership, he was not trying to leave that experience behind. He wanted to put it to work in something he could build and lead himself. He wanted to build something credible, deliver meaningful, strategic value to clients, and stay in a market with real demand.
WSI gave him a practical way to do that. It offered an established consulting platform, a recognized global brand, and access to frameworks, systems, and expertise he would not have had to build on his own.
Joshua’s Path to Business Ownership
Joshua is based in Fredericksburg, Texas, where he is building a consulting business of his own. Earlier in his career, he spent years in technology roles supporting large organizations and federal agencies, where decisions had to hold up and accountability came with the work.
Over time, he began to question whether a traditional corporate path was the only option. Living in Fredericksburg brought him closer to small business owners in his community. That exposure made ownership feel more tangible and more practical than it had before.
That background still shapes how he works with clients. He is measured and direct, and he pays attention to risk. He can work through complicated situations without making them more complicated. Business owners tend to value that. They do not always need more advice in the room. Often, they need someone who can clarify the issue and help them decide.
For Joshua, business ownership followed directly from the career he had already built. It gave him a way to apply that experience in a business he could lead.
Read the transcript for this video here.
Why Joshua Chose WSI
Joshua did not rush this decision. He was thinking seriously about owning a business and trying to understand what would actually help him build one well. He wanted something he could own, but he also knew he did not want to figure out every piece on his own. WSI stood out because it offered both independence and backing from an established brand and a wider network of people he could learn from.
“Everywhere I looked, WSI was recognized as an expert in the industry. And with AI changing everything, having that force behind you, a brand that’s going to evolve as the industry evolves, that gave me real confidence.”
What stood out to him most:
- A brand with real credibility: Joshua wanted to start from a name that already had history and standing in the industry.
- A business focused on AI: He wanted to be part of an organization that was taking change seriously and would keep adjusting as the work changed.
- A global network of experienced consultants: He valued being part of a broader group solving similar client challenges, rather than working in isolation.
- Access to experienced peers: In his conversations, Joshua spoke with consultants across the WSI network who were open about their experience and shared practical insight from their own work.
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A way to build something of his own without doing it alone: He wanted ownership, but he also wanted a structure that provided guidance and support as he built the business.
What This Path Can Look Like for Experienced Professionals
Joshua’s story may resonate with people who have spent much of their career in high-responsibility roles and are now thinking about ownership. At that stage, the question becomes more deliberate. Where should your experience go next?
For some, that means staying within an existing organization. For others, it means building something of their own.
That distinction was clear in Joshua’s decision. The pull was ownership, not franchising itself. Living in Fredericksburg also played a role. Being around small business owners made that path feel closer and more practical.
His story is also a reminder that this path is not limited to those from sales or traditional entrepreneurial backgrounds. Joshua came from technical work. What carries over is judgment, accountability, and the ability to help business owners make informed decisions.
That may be the part many experienced professionals relate to most.
Sometimes the next step is not about reinventing yourself. It is about applying what you already know in a business you can lead.
At this stage, the more important question is not whether to start over, but where your experience will have the most impact.
If you are considering a move into consulting ownership, the best next step is a direct conversation. Speak with our team to explore how the WSI model works and whether it aligns with the kind of business you want to build.
