Consulting Clients - Two (Good!) Surprises
Two surprising (and good!) facts - as an independent consultant, you don't need a lot of clients because:
1) Some clients will stay clients for a very long time. Sometimes the term "mothership" clients has been used. I have several clients that have been clients for 8 to 20+ years including The SANS Institute, The Open Software Foundation, and Digital Equipement Corporation (DEC).
Other multiyear clients have included Cisco, IBM, The Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, The Singapore Ministry of Education, and many others.
2) Some clients will give you a lot of work.
It may be 50 to 80% of your work at times.
Right now I have a great client who is giving me 50-60% of my work.And no surprise, some clients will be long term clients who also give you a lot of work!
So, you can be an extremely successful independent consultant without needing lots of clients.Some of my other videos (as well as my book) go into how to get clients.
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Positive Procrastination
We normally think of procrastination as negative, but procrastination can be positive.If you procrastinate on the right things, you might never need to do some of them!
Why Get Involved with a Startup ?
Why would anyone get involved with a startup, leaving the relative safety of a corporate job?
First, let's define a startup: An endeavor with has high growth potential and is potentially innovative or disruptive in some way.
There are several reasons, and three big ones at least in my mind . . .
The Cost of Inaction
There is obviously a cost to do something. If I go on vacation for example, it's going to cost me time and money. If I go out to dinner tonight - there is certainly a cost as well.
Think of some of the things you have done in the past that have had great results, maybe even lifechanging results. If you hadn't done them, there would have been an enormous "Cost of Inaction" or COI.
For example, if I hadn't gotten married and had kids, my life would be much different now. Certainly far less rich and wonderful.The cost of inaction would have been immense.
A bit over thirty years ago, I left corporate life to become a consultant. It's worked out extremely well, with lots of world travel which I love, the ability to choose exciting work and I've had some great projects and continue to, and freedom the likes of which doesn't exist with a job. And the money has been great.
What if I hadn't left my great job at HP in 1990? The cost of inaction would have been IMMENSE!
Often people delay, sometimes forever, doing something because the time isn't right or they are not ready. There is never a perfect time for many things are some things you may never be perfectly ready for.
Think of the cost of inaction! And then move forwards.
International Travel paid by Work: How to Make it Happen!
I love to travel, especially internationally, and greatly prefer to have work pay for it. I've been able to make this happen both as an employee and as a consultant.
If having your job or a client fly you to say Paris or Sydney or similar, and then taking a few days off while you're there sounds like a great thing, here are a few techniques that have worked for me and others!Business travel can and should be combined with please whenever possible!
Last year among other places I got to Copenhagen, London, Krakow, The Azores, The Canary Islands, Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bahrain, Qatar, Munich, and more. Don't get me wrong, I worked my butt off, and also enjoyed myself, very often with a few days off!
Don't get me wrong, I worked my butt off, and also enjoyed myself, very often with a few days off!
#BusinessTravel #WorkTravel #Travel