Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: How do you control consulting work and concentrate on startup work?

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 45 posts

Re: Ask HN: How do you control consulting work and concentrate on startup work?

#21

Post by ojbyrne »

nfriedly wrote: post #14
ojbyrne wrote: post #9

Charge more.

Not sure why someone down voted this, I think it's a good solution. Each time I had more consulting work than I knew what to do with, I'd raise my rates. Its a good way to throttle incomming work and either earn more money -or- what youre looking for: have more time for your startup.

I think I was too succinct. I'd disagree with "a good way" - it's "the way." Though you don't necessarily raise rates across the board, for every customer or every job. You do marketing. MARKETING.

Good customers, you explain your situation, raise your rates, but offer grandfather clauses if they're willing to guarantee some level of minimum work or pay upfront or with better terms. Bad customers, you double your rates overnight (and then do it again 3 months later). In between customers, you offer different packages that trade off them paying you more with them paying you more reliably, and/or offering you things that help you market your offerings better (referrals, testimonials, etc).

Additionally you specialize. If its something you don't like doing, you charge more. If its something that teaches you a skill that you can use for your nascent startup, you charge less.

Eventually if you're good, your "startup" becomes the R&D department to your burgeoning consulting business, and you've got something that feeds good things back and forth. The startup makes consulting more viable, and the consulting makes the startup more viable. Somewhere along the way you hire people.

Re: Ask HN: How do you control consulting work and concentrate on startup work?

#23

Post by thaumaturgy »

metamemetics wrote: post #20
erikpukinskis wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't understand... sounds like you still have to schedule startup time around a job. Is it that you're working fewer hours than you were before? Wouldn't it have been easier just to take on fewer consulting hours?

Maybe he has a lot of pre-existing repeat-clients who always come to him for their tech stuff that he doesn't want to send away permanently.

Yes, exactly. And, both the consulting and the startup stuff are part of the same business, just different aspects of it.

I know it depends on the individual, but I find it a lot easier to concentrate on startup work when I'm not developing an ulcer over finances. (And I can't wait to stop developing ulcers over finances. ;-)

Re: Ask HN: How do you control consulting work and concentrate on startup work?

#25

Post by [deleted] »

ojbyrne wrote: post #21
nfriedly wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure why someone down voted this, I think it's a good solution. Each time I had more consulting work than I knew what to do with, I'd raise my rates. Its a good way to throttle incomming work and either earn more money -or- what youre looking for: have more time for your startup.

I think I was too succinct. I'd disagree with "a good way" - it's "the way." Though you don't necessarily raise rates across the board, for every customer or every job. You do marketing. MARKETING. Good customers, you explain your situation, raise your rates, but offer grandfather clauses if they're willing to guarantee some level of minimum work or pay upfront or with better terms. Bad customers, you double your rat…

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: How do you control consulting work and concentrate on startup work?

#27

Post by tptacek »

mahmud wrote: post #5

Paul was right when he said not to do side consulting work. For me it was simple; a 3-month consulting gig will give me a financial runway for the next year. So I am doing it, and nothing else. Come December 1st I will have enough to live comfortably for the next year, probably 2 years if I move to somewhere cheaper and bring my fiancee over.

Are you sure Paul was right? If you can pay for a years expenses in 3 months, it sure sounds like you're in a good position to hire; pay someone to reduce consulting workload, and pay someone to work product.

'mahmud, this isn't particle surgery. This is every real consultancy. Ever.

Re: Ask HN: How do you control consulting work and concentrate on startup work?

#28

Post by Vitaly »

kbob wrote: post #2

Treat the startup like a client. Juggle it into your schedule with the same priority as your other clients.

doesn't work. It fails for almost anyone that tried it. The only solution I can think (and trying now) is to pay someone to do it for you ;)

Re: Ask HN: How do you control consulting work and concentrate on startup work?

#29

Post by exit »

mahmud wrote: post #5

Paul was right when he said not to do side consulting work. For me it was simple; a 3-month consulting gig will give me a financial runway for the next year. So I am doing it, and nothing else. Come December 1st I will have enough to live comfortably for the next year, probably 2 years if I move to somewhere cheaper and bring my fiancee over.

what kind of consulting work did you do?

Re: Ask HN: How do you control consulting work and concentrate on startup work?

#30

Post by thibaut_barrere »

I'm not free from consulting (and want to continue doing it as well actually!), but a few points:

* I treat each of my own projects just like a regular client

* I consider all the projects like a 'scrum' of 'scrums' (ie: I get to prioritize between projects just like I prioritize inside a given project)

* for billable and non-billable projects, I take great care to ensure I keep a sustainable rhythm (I work a lot periodically when required, but not on the long run)

* I keep track of my 'pulse' with Freckle, very helpful

* for each project (home-made or not) I try hard to limit the amount of time I dedicate to it

* I keep high rates

* we've lowered our expenses quite far (including moving to a very cheap area in France, considering buying a house without a mortgage as a result etc)

In my case and when it's in control, consulting is both a risk-splitter and a great way to keep up to date and financially 'confident'.

As well I get to work in various, real-world situations that give me ideas for my own projects.

Last point: as I consider myself an investor investing in ourselves, where my resources (time/money/energy) are scarce, I find it great and sustainable to work this way, slowly building what I like.

Post reply on HN