How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
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How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
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Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#2I have an Internet buddy in Chicago named Thomas Ptacek. [...] I decided to invite Thomas out to coffee.
At the end of the conversation, Thomas said something which, no exaggeration, changed my life.
Thomas: Some food for thought: If this hadn't been a coffee date, but rather a consulting engagement, I'd be writing you a check right now.
Me: Three hours at $100 an hour or whatever an intermediate programmer is worth would only be $300. Why worry about that?
Thomas: I got at least $15,000 of value out of this conversation.
Does this really happen in real life?
Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#3I have an Internet buddy in Chicago named Thomas Ptacek. [...] I decided to invite Thomas out to coffee. At the end of the conversation, Thomas said something which, no exaggeration, changed my life. Thomas: Some food for thought: If this hadn't been a coffee date, but rather a consulting engagement, I'd be writing you a check right now. Me: Three hours at $100 an hour or whatever an intermediate programmer is worth…
It could work in the 90s & early 2000s but now that people are beginning to understand how to price software, it's harder.
Just like how cars in the 50's-60's could be wildly overpriced but today cars are mostly sold in volume. People back then didn't know what cars were worth yet.
A fool and his money are soon parted and people that pay $15k consistently for things they could get for $100 eventually go broke or out of business.
This blog post repeatedly pops up on ycombinator from time to time but doesn't really provide historical context.
Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#4I have an Internet buddy in Chicago named Thomas Ptacek. [...] I decided to invite Thomas out to coffee. At the end of the conversation, Thomas said something which, no exaggeration, changed my life. Thomas: Some food for thought: If this hadn't been a coffee date, but rather a consulting engagement, I'd be writing you a check right now. Me: Three hours at $100 an hour or whatever an intermediate programmer is worth…
While it definitely sounds a bit forced to me too, but we are talking about nerds talking (ha!) here.
Have you ever heard yourself and your tech colleagues talk? :P
Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#5I have an Internet buddy in Chicago named Thomas Ptacek. [...] I decided to invite Thomas out to coffee. At the end of the conversation, Thomas said something which, no exaggeration, changed my life. Thomas: Some food for thought: If this hadn't been a coffee date, but rather a consulting engagement, I'd be writing you a check right now. Me: Three hours at $100 an hour or whatever an intermediate programmer is worth…
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Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#6I have an Internet buddy in Chicago named Thomas Ptacek. [...] I decided to invite Thomas out to coffee. At the end of the conversation, Thomas said something which, no exaggeration, changed my life. Thomas: Some food for thought: If this hadn't been a coffee date, but rather a consulting engagement, I'd be writing you a check right now. Me: Three hours at $100 an hour or whatever an intermediate programmer is worth…
No. The market is too efficient now, the information too commoditized.
In order to charge that much as a consultant you would have to have a very particular set of skills, skills that you acquired over a very long career.
Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#7I have an Internet buddy in Chicago named Thomas Ptacek. [...] I decided to invite Thomas out to coffee. At the end of the conversation, Thomas said something which, no exaggeration, changed my life. Thomas: Some food for thought: If this hadn't been a coffee date, but rather a consulting engagement, I'd be writing you a check right now. Me: Three hours at $100 an hour or whatever an intermediate programmer is worth…
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Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#8I have an Internet buddy in Chicago named Thomas Ptacek. [...] I decided to invite Thomas out to coffee. At the end of the conversation, Thomas said something which, no exaggeration, changed my life. Thomas: Some food for thought: If this hadn't been a coffee date, but rather a consulting engagement, I'd be writing you a check right now. Me: Three hours at $100 an hour or whatever an intermediate programmer is worth…
While it definitely sounds a bit forced to me too, but we are talking about nerds talking (ha!) here. Have you ever heard yourself and your tech colleagues talk? :P
Well it seems straightforward to me. Efficient.
Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#9I have an Internet buddy in Chicago named Thomas Ptacek. [...] I decided to invite Thomas out to coffee. At the end of the conversation, Thomas said something which, no exaggeration, changed my life. Thomas: Some food for thought: If this hadn't been a coffee date, but rather a consulting engagement, I'd be writing you a check right now. Me: Three hours at $100 an hour or whatever an intermediate programmer is worth…
As a budding freelancer, I will try to have a talk about the value I bring instead of rate per hour. My point is while it might not happen that a business owner tells you how much value he got out of you, you now know that's what he thinks and charge accordingly.
Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#10I have an Internet buddy in Chicago named Thomas Ptacek. [...] I decided to invite Thomas out to coffee. At the end of the conversation, Thomas said something which, no exaggeration, changed my life. Thomas: Some food for thought: If this hadn't been a coffee date, but rather a consulting engagement, I'd be writing you a check right now. Me: Three hours at $100 an hour or whatever an intermediate programmer is worth…
No. The market is too efficient now, the information too commoditized. In order to charge that much as a consultant you would have to have a very particular set of skills, skills that you acquired over a very long career.
Do you know this from first hand experience? I used to know a guy who made around $5000 a day. His main skill seemed to be that he had the ability to talk to CEOs in their own language. Once you are on that level a $50000 consulting engagement is not much money.