Quit Corporate Slavery: Be a Solo Technology Consultant

Want to quit working for companies as an employee, make more money, and choose the clients you work with? It might be time to go solo - as a technology consultant.
To be successful, you need to be smart about how you start. In this episode, I share the exact steps I took to become a solo technology consultant offering software architecture and a variety of other professional services.
Whether you're a programmer, in QA, DevOps, do Product Management, Data Science, or any other software development technology role - a technology consultant is not a contractor. You are actually starting a business, and so you need to think like one!
I hope this episode helps you avoid some of the pitfalls that software engineers and other tech professionals can fall into when they try to work for themselves.
Learn about SoloDev, a coaching package to bootstrap your solo consulting business
thrivingtechnologist.com/serv...
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @healthydev
Support me on Patreon:
thrivingtechnologist.com/patreon
TechRolepedia, a wiki about the top 25 roles in tech:
thrivingtechnologist.com/tech...
The Thriving Technologist career guide:
thrivingtechnologist.com/guide
CHAPTER MARKERS
0:00 Introduction
2:55 10 Steps to Become a Solo Technology Consultant
3:00 1. Design Your Services
6:38 2. Discover The Client
8:51 3. Price Your Services
11:16 4. Build Client Awareness
13:37 5. Incorporate
16:33 6. Acquire Clients
19:01 7. Negotiate Contracts
23:34 8. Manage the Engagement
26:16 9. Keep Financial Records
30:27 10. Finish Strong and Get a Reference
34:15 Episode Groove
#consultant #consulting #technology

[@HealthyDev]

Where are you along the journey to start solo consulting? If you're thinking about it, what step is holding you back?

[@AlexEscalante]

I've been kind of solo for quite a while, but I am most comfortable leading small teams. That's where I feel I am most productive. I've been tech leading a small startup jr. dev group for 2+ yrs now in a complex domain and we are all very happy! We expect to be in the market this year end.

[@HealthyDev]

Nice, so it's a new product then?

[@AlexEscalante]

@@HealthyDev Yes, a new app/platform, market specific though.

[@HealthyDev]

Hey the narrower the market the better for something new!

[@JacobWindle]

I swear, you and your channel speak to me on another level. I'm at 10 years of experience and don't know what to do next. The only thing in common between all of my jobs that I've enjoyed? Building things. I can't think of a better way to build something than to go out on my own and build up solo consulting business. However, I've always struggled with finding and retaining clients :/ Hoping to push through and finally make it as a solo dev.

[@thefrozensun]

Half way in, I just want to say I appreciate the valuable information on this channel. Lost my job as a dev and I am currently trying to freelance to make some income until I find a new job, so these videos are like gold nowadays. Thanks Jamie

[@GizmoMaltese]

How long were you a dev?

[@kyrgyzsanjar]

This! ☝️ like sooooo many if us, right now!

[@kyrgyzsanjar]

You, sir, are a goldmine! A brother we all need in our lives :) please know that your videos are much appreciated, even though many of us may not be in a position to financially contribute to your channel!

[@HealthyDev]

99% of people don't contribute and it's totally cool. The KZbin content is for everyone.

[@nicklowe_]

I just found your channel recently. This video is interestingly timed, I had just started planning something like this about 2 weeks back. Thanks for the help

[@HealthyDev]

You're very welcome. Glad it helped!

[@AnthonyThomas_Ant]

Defining when the work is done is as important as politely refusing more work. In the early days of web design I worked part-time and freelanced. I had one client / business that, after I finished the work, were happy and wanted more. I ended up working on site and got stuck with them too long when I should’ve moved on broadening my client base.

[@ys1197]

Great tips, thanks!

[@hyperborean72]

thank you for the time you invest in these useful videos

[@a1121265]

Excellent advice. Thank you.

[@migue018]

Just finishing a project proyected to 4 months that was extended to 1 year...so bad in negotiations, the part of getting right with the due dates and the payment is essential... Learned the hard way.

[@HealthyDev]

Been there! That doesn't make you a failure. It makes you a human AND you had the courage to just do it!

[@AlexEscalante]

Hey, greetings from another independent tech consultant who is also a musician!

[@HealthyDev]

Nice! I think music and technology go together like peanut butter and jelly. It seems like they always show up together!

[@AlexEscalante]

@@HealthyDev Indeed! Learning music theory for me hasn't been that difficult since I am already used to thinking of complex abstract structures 😀

[@HealthyDev]

I wish I could say the same. I took theory in high school and have tried to learn it as an adult. I have aphantasia and I think that's part of the reason why it seems to be hard to "stick" for me.

[@AlexEscalante]

@@HealthyDev Well, music is so fabulous it doesn't require you to understand it. You can just enjoy playing! 😀

[@HealthyDev]

@@AlexEscalante true that!

[@plutoneon_tv8070]

Thank you, this has helped a lot! Andrew - Plutoneon

[@kamilstaszewski8063]

Where do I start? Upwork?Or do i need hustle big time to get my first customer by cold emailing / networking?

[@HealthyDev]

I would start by figuring out what you want to offer that's your highest value. Then figure out the best place to find those people. Basically do things in the order of the video.

[@6Diego1Diego9]

How do you convince people to buy your service instead of using an outsourced developer who speaks perfect English and is half the cost? That's what you're up against these days.

[@HealthyDev]

If what you're offering is a commodity, in that it's something easy to come by in India for cheaper, you've got to find ways to draw attention to the problems they might encounter going with a cheaper option. Basically you should read some books or take some courses on selling yourself against competition for a common service. The better thing to do is differentiate yourself. Combine a couple things together and create a unique spin on it that you are "the person" who knows how to do those particular things. For example I help people with their career in tech, but I do it in a healthy way. If someone wants help with their career in tech but they don't care about health, they go with another option. But if they want a sustainable career, they're probably going to choose me over a cheaper option.

[@6Diego1Diego9]

​@@HealthyDevthanks for the advice!

[@HealthyDev]

@@6Diego1Diego9 sure thing. Positioning and increasing our value as technologists isn't necessarily simple but I'm surprised how few people actually put effort into it. If you do, you'll eliminate competition from a lot of people who don't know how to do it.

[@Joe-ku1ko]

So when you are searching for clients, you just message them yourself personally instead of like a job-board or something?

[@HealthyDev]

Optimally they come to you from a reference. Next best thing would be they come to you from watching your video, listening to your podcast, or reading your articles. Next best would be you contact them directly. Worst case would be posting yourself for hire somewhere like LinkedIn or these "coaching hubs" and hoping they pick you out of all the other people there. Hope that helps.

[@mohamedyamani8502]

did you just call Java as a legacy language? Hahaha great video as always!

[@HealthyDev]

Legacy just means old enough to be in production. You do know Java has been out since the late 90s, right?

[@mohamedyamani8502]

@@HealthyDev I understood what you meant, I just found it funny anticipating how many people that would trigger most languages we use nowadays have been out since that timeframe, python (even older), javascript...

[@HealthyDev]

@@mohamedyamani8502 I hear you. I record these very off the cuff based on a few bullets. Sometimes my examples don't make sense!

[@KamoriGoat]

This is a great video, but it definitely is triggering my imposter syndrome. Being a tech professional for 11 years and everytime I think of a service offering, I just think of the worst case scenarios and embarrassing myself. For a future video, could we have some day in the life kind of content where you and some of you coached folks show what their individual consulting workflow is like? I'd love to see some folks who have to bring humility into their consultation but still put together a win.

[@HealthyDev]

Up to this point I haven't asked people to breach confidentiality by recording any of their coaching, including the consultation. I'm not sure if I want to go there.

[@KamoriGoat]

@@HealthyDev reasonable! Still love your videos, definitely help me grow a little with each episode. Keep it up!

[@HealthyDev]

@@KamoriGoat thanks! I'm not completely closed off to what you're asking by the way. I just haven't pressed to go there yet.

[@ErnaSolbergXXX]

Is it possible to get anything serious doing this? Seems everybody think they get top quailty for low price when they buy from 3. world countries. All projects seems to be «save our failed project» where you inherit a totally broken code base with full of bugs. Just so tired of this. I want projects where i start from the begining.

[@HealthyDev]

Do you have experience building software from the start? If so, have you done what I described as building client awareness in the episode to find people who need that work?

[@ErnaSolbergXXX]

@@HealthyDev thank you for the answer. Yes most of the experience is building from start (firmware, datacenter monitoring software, web apps, HR siftware etc) but this is when i was hired different places the last 25 years. When started as independent i only get these kind of «clean up our mess» projects.

[@HealthyDev]

@@ErnaSolbergXXX it sounds like you need to market and position yourself specifically as having expertise with the challenges people face with new products.

[@zeussuez240]

just be a contract developer, join a existing team, let their team leader or manager handle all the bs, not you

[@HealthyDev]

I prefer to not work with a team. I can charge higher rates.

[@hyperborean72]

@@HealthyDev if only they are ready to pay those higher rates

[@HealthyDev]

@@hyperborean72 right. You need a value proposition that demands higher rates.

[@hegerwalter]

My fear with career coaches is that it might not be worth it because there is no revenue as a result of it. Good luck in getting your money back due to dissatisfied services. The coach will argue that he delivered the services offered and it was you who implemented them incorrectly. This is a problem with selling vaporware.

[@HealthyDev]

Every career coach is different but I've never heard of one that promised generating revenue. I'm not sure if you're thinking of a business coach, or have a fundamentally different view of coaching.

[@panosdotnet]

I know first step: "open all your holes to IRS".

[@kevinsedwards]

College kids are incapable of working for themselves 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@HealthyDev]

I'm sorry what's the context of this comment? Did I say something about this and not notice it?

[@kevinsedwards]

@@HealthyDev not talking about you

[@kevinsedwards]

@@HealthyDev college people suck at starting businesses, they're too trained to conform. exceptions exist.

[@HealthyDev]

I'm confused. What does your comment have to do with the video then?

[@kevinsedwards]

@@HealthyDev Because many of the people watching your videos like this are college graduates who are incapable of working for themselves. I never went to college, I had to learn business skills or else I would sleep in the grass. I'm 27 years old and have no problem getting work, while all the people who are 'smarter' and more 'educated' than me struggle to find work.