Equity Research => Management Consulting?

I am a student at a UK target university, and I'd like to learn about the ease of transition between various professions. I am interested in studying companies and how they could improve. This has led me to develop an interest in Equity Research, where it's your job to study public companies and write reports on whether you think shares in the company ought to be bought or not. However, I am also interested in getting involved with such companies, through consulting or PE. Upon doing research, I have found that ER to PE is very difficult if not impossible without IB first. Starting from the bottom in IB isn't really a route I would like to take, so I am also considering Consulting after ER. So I have two questions: Is ER to Consulting possible? and what advice would you give to someone wanting to go from Consulting to PE after that? Many thanks!