Comments on: So You Want to Start Consulting: Part 3 http://upandrunning.bplans.com/2008/10/10/so-you-want-to-start-consulting-part-3/ Start, Run, and Grow Your Business Fri, 17 Feb 2012 18:41:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: PM Hut http://upandrunning.bplans.com/2008/10/10/so-you-want-to-start-consulting-part-3/#comment-301 PM Hut Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:58:20 +0000 http://upandrunning.entrepreneur.com/?p=376#comment-301 About Scope Creep: "Write your deliverables in a way that makes scope creep obvious." Is it possible to give a brief explanation on how this can be done, knowing that the main reason of scope creep in software projects (in an typical Project Management environment) is the technically uneducated client. As for #10, I think it much is easier said than done. About Scope Creep: “Write your deliverables in a way that makes scope creep obvious.” Is it possible to give a brief explanation on how this can be done, knowing that the main reason of scope creep in software projects (in an typical Project Management environment) is the technically uneducated client.

As for #10, I think it much is easier said than done.

]]> By: Tim Berry http://upandrunning.bplans.com/2008/10/10/so-you-want-to-start-consulting-part-3/#comment-300 Tim Berry Thu, 16 Oct 2008 23:56:47 +0000 http://upandrunning.entrepreneur.com/?p=376#comment-300 @Ken thanks for adding that skepticism, I think it's good for this topic to maintain that attitude; but no, in my case, I did a couple million worth of consulting billing over about 12 years, never got stiffed. Just lucky I guess. However, for the sake of good advice, Ken's advice is more useful than my optimism. Tim @Ken thanks for adding that skepticism, I think it’s good for this topic to maintain that attitude; but no, in my case, I did a couple million worth of consulting billing over about 12 years, never got stiffed. Just lucky I guess.

However, for the sake of good advice, Ken’s advice is more useful than my optimism.

Tim

]]> By: BLUE SAGE on Business http://upandrunning.bplans.com/2008/10/10/so-you-want-to-start-consulting-part-3/#comment-299 BLUE SAGE on Business Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:42:27 +0000 http://upandrunning.entrepreneur.com/?p=376#comment-299 Hello Alfred, In response to your question: I was given an option to either take a package or stay in a role in a company that was going downhill quickly. I chose the former option, with 90 days to wind down my team and walk out the door. During those 90 days, I kicked into gear and started to outline many of the things that Tim talks about here. Before I had formally "stepped out" into the consulting world, I had a client already lined up. There are several books out there that deal with the topic of starting a consulting practice on the side while being employed elsewhere. Good Luck! Hello Alfred,
In response to your question: I was given an option to either take a package or stay in a role in a company that was going downhill quickly. I chose the former option, with 90 days to wind down my team and walk out the door. During those 90 days, I kicked into gear and started to outline many of the things that Tim talks about here. Before I had formally “stepped out” into the consulting world, I had a client already lined up. There are several books out there that deal with the topic of starting a consulting practice on the side while being employed elsewhere. Good Luck!

]]> By: Alfred Joseph http://upandrunning.bplans.com/2008/10/10/so-you-want-to-start-consulting-part-3/#comment-298 Alfred Joseph Sun, 12 Oct 2008 14:37:41 +0000 http://upandrunning.entrepreneur.com/?p=376#comment-298 All of you seem to be very sucessful. What I want to know is did any of you start parttime while still working a regular job or did you quit your job and go full steam ahead into consulting? Thanks Alfred All of you seem to be very sucessful. What I want to know is did any of you start parttime while still working a regular job or did you quit your job and go full steam ahead into consulting?

Thanks
Alfred

]]> By: Andrea from Become a Consultant blog http://upandrunning.bplans.com/2008/10/10/so-you-want-to-start-consulting-part-3/#comment-297 Andrea from Become a Consultant blog Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:00:29 +0000 http://upandrunning.entrepreneur.com/?p=376#comment-297 You wrote that starting a consulting practice is hard. Actually, starting a consulting business is easy. Growing it and keeping it alive are the hard parts. To become a consultant, you really just need to start calling yourself one. The real challenge comes from still being able to be in business several months down the road. It's easy to start a consulting business, but it's hard to have a consulting business for X years. I should know -- I've been doing this for 12 years. Becoming a consultant was the easy bit! You wrote that starting a consulting practice is hard. Actually, starting a consulting business is easy. Growing it and keeping it alive are the hard parts. To become a consultant, you really just need to start calling yourself one. The real challenge comes from still being able to be in business several months down the road. It’s easy to start a consulting business, but it’s hard to have a consulting business for X years. I should know — I’ve been doing this for 12 years. Becoming a consultant was the easy bit!

]]> By: Ken Pirok http://upandrunning.bplans.com/2008/10/10/so-you-want-to-start-consulting-part-3/#comment-296 Ken Pirok Fri, 10 Oct 2008 16:14:10 +0000 http://upandrunning.entrepreneur.com/?p=376#comment-296 Wow, you've never been stiffed by a client? That's pretty lucky; most of us consultants have been left with unpaid invoices. If you've never had this happen, then I don't know if you're doing something right (working with clients with stellar payment ability) or doing something wrong (never taking a risk). You should use common sense with advance payments and deposits. If your client is large and creditworthy, then don't require up-front payment. If your client is small, if you're being hired to consult on a turnaround of a troubled company, if your engagement requires significant travel or incidental expenses that have to be covered, then get a downpayment. I have never had a problem getting advance payments when I asked for them. If you have a good reason to ask, then be leery of the client who can't or won't make that payment. Wow, you’ve never been stiffed by a client? That’s pretty lucky; most of us consultants have been left with unpaid invoices. If you’ve never had this happen, then I don’t know if you’re doing something right (working with clients with stellar payment ability) or doing something wrong (never taking a risk).

You should use common sense with advance payments and deposits. If your client is large and creditworthy, then don’t require up-front payment. If your client is small, if you’re being hired to consult on a turnaround of a troubled company, if your engagement requires significant travel or incidental expenses that have to be covered, then get a downpayment. I have never had a problem getting advance payments when I asked for them. If you have a good reason to ask, then be leery of the client who can’t or won’t make that payment.

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