Becoming a Better Competitor After 60
By Mitchell Schuckman, PCC | Founder, The Schuckman Group
Over the past few months, people have asked me the same question.
“Are you enjoying this?”
What they mean is straightforward. After a long career at PwC, can it actually be enjoyable to build a coaching and consulting practice from the ground up? They also mean it must feel strange to walk into rooms now without the PwC brand or the “partner” title attached to my name.
My answer is simple. “Yes, I am enjoying it much more than I imagined I would.”
Peeling the Logo From My Persona
The first few meetings after I stepped out on my own were clarifying. Without a large firm name or title to lean on, I felt exposed. For decades my business card opened doors before I said a word. My title and the firm’s reputation provided instant credibility.
Without that, the equation changes. Now it is simply my judgment, my presence, and my ability to contribute meaningfully to the conversation. The discussion either becomes clearer because of what I bring to it, or it does not.
That reality changed my focus quickly. My resume and experience certainly matter, but they do not give me an edge for long. The edge has to come from within me. I believe people sense quickly whether the edge I bring today will benefit them.
Experience Gives Me Perspective
After a long corporate career in high-stakes situations, I recognize patterns quickly. I can feel when a proposal is drifting away from the real value proposition, or when a leadership team is talking around the issue everyone senses but no one is naming.
I recently sat with a private equity-backed CEO working through a strategic decision with big consequences. Ten minutes into the conversation I realized his leadership team was debating whether they had enough data to move forward. I knew the bigger issue was speed. Waiting for perfect information was quietly slowing the company’s momentum.
The scoreboard in those environments is clear: EBITDA, communication, execution, value creation. There is very little noise about internal politics or titles. Results speak for themselves.
I like that scoreboard because it is more real, and I find myself showing up with a sharper competitive edge.
I’ve Learned to Hold My Strong Views Loosely
Over the past year I have deepened my coaching through advanced training and coaching work groups. Bringing a coaching mindset and discipline matters. Strong inquiry, real listening, and a commitment that leaders own their answers.
At the same time, my business background brings a useful perspective. I have found that clients value thoughtful questions, and they also value the pattern recognition that comes from my experience.
I have found a good balance. Presence and curiosity come first. When I offer an observation, I frame it as a hypothesis rather than a conclusion, a perspective to test rather than an answer to adopt. That stance shares insight, keeps the thinking collaborative, and ensures the leader owns the decision.
Freedom Changes How I Compete
One difference at 60 is that I am far more willing to share perspective and keep moving. If I believe a team is not pricing an opportunity strategically, I say it. If their messaging feels too safe to win, I say that too. Then we test it together. If my idea is wrong, that is fine. We adjust quickly. Failing fast beats circling politely.
Now I prepare harder because the outcome is personal. I integrate AI tools aggressively because they sharpen the work. I coach leaders more candidly because there is no reason not to.
The stakes remain high. I simply play the game more loosely, with less concern about what others think and more focus on what will move the outcome.
The Competitive Instinct Has Not Expired
I live on Long Island, not far from St. John’s University where their head basketball coach, Rick Pitino, is regularly in the local news. When I watch Pitino lead St. John’s in his seventies, I see something I deeply admire. After building a hall of fame career, he still walks into new programs with the same intensity, fast pace, and high standards. The environment changes, but his competitiveness does not.
At this stage of my career I am not chasing titles or promotions. I am chasing impact. I want to be where the stakes are high and the scoreboard is clear.
So when people ask whether I am enjoying this chapter, the answer is an emphatic yes.
At 60, I am not winding down. I am competing hard and enjoying the game.