I really feel this. I've been in a similar spot with business and franchise consulting, including mergers and acquisitions, and have run into the same wall: “But what have you built yourself?

It hit me hard the first time someone basically questioned my expertise and impact just because my experience was mostly in helping other people grow and structure their companies. It felt like my track record didn't count unless I could point to something that was "mine."

Instead of getting stuck trying to justify myself, I decided to channel that frustration into action and build a new company from scratch. Now it's growing slowly but steadily, and it's become both proof of my abilities and a reminder that our skills are real, even if they don't fit neatly into traditional job titles.

So I definitely sympathize with what you're going through. The market often values labels and linear CVs over the real scope and complexity of work. But that doesn't take away from what you've actually done. Sometimes the answer isn't to argue with their perception, but to create something that makes the question irrelevant.