Have you heard the news?  Today it’s official!  Consultants from around the globe are racing to their computers to log-on to the most anticipated moment of internet history! … okay do I have your attention?  Good, it worked.  Now that it’s just me and you I want to welcome you to the first post.  (gotcha!)

FIRST POST?!  UGH!

Yes, I know, I am sorry.  If I were to guess, first posts on blogs are probably the most boring, lonely places on the web.  Some guy some where decides he is important enough to share his thoughts with other people… and that can be scary given some of the people I have run into in my day.

With that said, I decided that the best way to kick things off would be to give a little background as to what this is all about… and hey, what better way to start things off than by pasting your entire “About Me” section right?  Right. (glad you’re with me on that).  So below you will learn all you need to know about me and this blog… and the exact reason why you should return again and again.  I’m serious – you may as well sign up for email notifications right now.

Who are you?

My name is Justin and I am a Management Consultant for one of the big four consulting firms.  Although I have experience in a variety of areas, my speciality is in corporate training and with helping organizationals optimize their performance.

What the heck is this all about anyway?

As Business consultants, we are expected to put up with a lot aren’t we?  There are demanding clients, difficult personalities, lost luggage, delayed planes, poor hotel rooms, fatty foods, and inadequite exercise equipment… to name a few.  The most difficult part is that the whole time we are expected to uphold an extremely high level of formality and professionalism – not impossible, but sometimes not just not practical.  Don’t get me wrong, I am okay with this, but we deserve a break right?

Enter “Always Gate Check”

This blog is a place where you can loosen up your tie and engage with other business people about some of the funny, stressful, and educational aspects of the consulting world.  In a way, our lifestyle unites us.  As consultants (doesn’t matter the industry) we have all shared common experiences that made us laugh, become frustrated, or even celebrate.

I will do my best to be both entertaining and educational during this process.  However, if you expect me to write each post like a formal business memo, then you’re crazy…  all these posts are done from my (you guessed it) hotel room after I get back from the client site.  I don’t have any more energy to be Mr. Formality. 

What’s up with the title of this blog?

For today’s business consultant, the title of this blog makes perfect sense… but just incase you aren’t familiar, let me explain.  When you fly on a plane, you have two options:  Check your luggage or Carry-on.  However, the seasoned of us know that you have a hidden THIRD option available.  An option where your bag will be put on the plane as you board and then brought directly to you as soon as you get off…on the gateway!  Yes, that glorious third option is Gate Check!  I always gate check.  Even when I am told that I can’t gate check, I try to anyway… and I usually am able to