Successfully setting up your own Consultancy/Software House/Agency

[MarillionFan]

Who on here has made that further move from individual contributor(contractor) into a Consultancy/Software House or Recon Agency.

Alternatively you may be pitching in with colleagues as a Solution provider.

Just interested, who has made that additional jump from one man band to real employer?

Do we have anyone on here?

[DodgyAgent]

Who on here has made that further move from individual contributor(contractor) into a Consultancy/Software House or Recon Agency.

Alternatively you may be pitching in with colleagues as a Solution provider.

Just interested, who has made that additional jump from one man band to real employer?

Do we have anyone on here?

I've done it the other way round

[newblood]

Who on here has made that further move from individual contributor(contractor) into a Consultancy/Software House or Recon Agency.

Alternatively you may be pitching in with colleagues as a Solution provider.

Just interested, who has made that additional jump from one man band to real employer?

Do we have anyone on here?

I have taken the plunge. 1.5 years ago. Now I am about to go bankrupt and securing contract is nightmare. Good luck.

[MarillionFan]

How many contractors on your books Dodgy? Always been interested on how much cash you need to be a one man band Recon.

I assume 8-12 weeks per contractor?

[AtW]

Stick to tat shops MF.

[BolshieBastard]

Who on here has made that further move from individual contributor(contractor) into a Consultancy/Software House or Recon Agency.

Alternatively you may be pitching in with colleagues as a Solution provider.

Just interested, who has made that additional jump from one man band to real employer?

Do we have anyone on here?

If you are getting all these job offers and interviews, why bother with such trivia?

[AtW]

If you are getting all these job offers and interviews, why bother with such trivia?

He's always been like this: ex-Retail analyst apparently, with delusions of being able to run his own business...

[doodab]

Who on here has made that further move from individual contributor(contractor) into a Consultancy/Software House or Recon Agency.

I know several groups of people who have. In every case but one the end result was bankrupcy.

[MarillionFan]

If you are getting all these job offers and interviews, why bother with such trivia?

Well you want to look at other opporunities don't you? The offer has come up a few times from other peers that we should look to set up a consultancy/software house.

When you reach a certain point in your career these opportunities will present themselves. I've been running development teams in the US and Bangalore. Arranged for an outsourcing contract and used the resulting teams to deliver same major ROI projects.

Now for the meantime, I am continuing on my career drive towards a directors role. To cover that I have applied for technical roles in case my chosen route doesnt play out in the short term. The logical next step is to look at using time, cash reserves and contacts in either a consultancy setup or Recon.

This is how grownups look at the world.

[DodgyAgent]

How many contractors on your books Dodgy? Always been interested on how much cash you need to be a one man band Recon.

I assume 8-12 weeks per contractor?

We have about 150 contractors out there working.

Things you should cost for are

1. Most importantly - what you need to earn day to day
2. Telephone
3. PC
4. Business development (should be you)
5. Cash flow- i.e paying your contractors. Be very careful about who you deal with. Big companies are secure but they can take ages to pay and you will need to unravel their payment processes if they prove to be slow.

You can work from home so basically the cost of entry is very low. Do not be tempted to employ a salesman until you have done it yourself and have developed enough business to make hiring one a necessity born of growth.
If you do the business development yourself then you will be fully prepared on how and who to hire and how to manage them.

This sort of business, unless you have backing and proper management, will HAVE to be led from the front by you.