[nycbug-talk] Getting started in Consulting

[Jerry B. Altzman]

On 06/03/05 07:54 PM, Kevin Reiter wrote:
>>> How did you first get started ?
> I imagine most of us got started the same way - working a full-time job 
> while doing tech work on the side, then either layoffs or whatever came 
> about and suddenly your hobby became your job.  Speaking for myself, I 

Um, that would be me, too.

> got tired of working my arse off to make someone else rich, so one day I 
> quit my job and started working for myself full-time.

I decided to NOT crazily aggressivly the f/t job thing any more -- if a 
good one falls into my lap, then I'll take it. Else, I'm indie.
(Yes, I've had and turned down offers. I'm at the stage where I really 
want something good, and being indie right now seems "good". Of course, 
now I have no excuse NOT to show up to the NYC*BUG meetings...no more 
job interference :-) Plus, my wife works.)

>>> How did you get your first client ?
> A friend of my parents was looking for someone to fix his network, and 
> he heard I "knew about computers."  He was impressed with my work, so I 
> asked him if he wouldn't mind telling people that he was happy with me. 
>  One thing led to another, and because of him, I suddenly had about 15 
> new clients.

I haven't had that much luck yet, but it does take time. The market 
appears to be very competetive now.

//jbaltz
-- 
jerry b. altzman     jbaltz at 3phasecomputing.com         KE3ML
thank you for contributing to the heat death of the universe.