This post seems to discount his experience over eight years. $X0,000 seems to suggest it's on the lower end, so that's like a 3x salary bump. I would hope over eight years of work you'd get better at your job... So, what's the real impact of switching to per week billing? My guess is that this post is overselling it.
How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
11–20 of 495 posts
Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#12A couple hundred comments, some from patio11 himself, in 2012:
Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#13A relevant side note: If you're getting into consulting, here are my suggestions for writing a good Statement of Work https://kirubakaran.com/blog/consulting-sow/
Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#14I 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 have those skills?
Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
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.
Was he a programmer?
Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#16A relevant side note: If you're getting into consulting, here are my suggestions for writing a good Statement of Work https://kirubakaran.com/blog/consulting-sow/
How did you get into consulting? What do you do?
Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#17Step 1: Be popular/famous enough that people know your name.
Step 2: Be good/accurate enough at opining in ways that make sense.
Most people won't have either 1 or 2 going for them.
There's one more thing - charging a lot is how to signal value, which is a a huge thing. I know a guy who used to manage an A-list rock band (everyone knows their songs) who went into consulting, and started out lowballing people, for $1k/week or something. People didn't take him or his advice seriously. After increasing his rate to $20k/week, people were hanging on his every word.
The advice didn't change, only the perception of value.
Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#18Earlier quoted context omitted.
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.
Was he a programmer?
He used to be but then he advised on enterprise software like SAP and Salesforce.
Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#19I 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…
For those saying this doesn't happen any more... it still can, and does. However, the bigger issue most people face is finding those people who can actually get that sort of value from our knowledge/skills/etc.
I can give the same info to 2 companies, and one can make several hundred thousand dollars (in savings, new sales, etc). The other may not even be operating at a scale where they'll see $10k in increased value, even doing the 'same' thing the other company did.
Determining who those companies are, then connecting with the appropriate people, that is still the hard part. Meeting someone for coffee, giving them $15k in 'value' from a conversation... probably does happen now and then. I don't think many 'consulting engagements' actually happen at a coffee shop for an hour or two ending with a $15k check being handed over, however. (but maybe I'm too cynical and it does happen a lot)
Re: How I went from programming to consulting (2012)
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
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.
What does talk to a CEO in their own language even mean? That he knows typical MBA jargon and concepts? Anybody can learn to talk and think like a CEO by picking up a few DIY MBA books. You have likely misjudged his actual skill.