My Quarterly Reading List
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There are a few articles and podcasts episodes that come across my desk every 3 months. These are all things that changed my outlook on something I do daily, and continue to do so. So here’s the list. Business Maker’s Schedule, Manager’s Schedule: This article very accurately describes how much a meeting really costs a…
Dancing with Prospective Clients
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The first time you email/call a prospective client, you’re basically auditioning for them. Much like an actor you’re given a small window to impress the client so that, hopefully, they offer you the leading role. At least that’s how most people think about it. A Mutual Dance I think of the beginning of a client…
Some Blogging Advice
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How you get a successful blog is something I’ve been wrestling with lately. I took a few weeks off at Christmas, and I just feel out of the groove now. The ideas aren’t flowing like they were before the holidays. Lucky for me (and you really) Tom McFarlin is doing a podcast season on how…
I Turned Down 2 Book Deals
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This awesome article over on net.tutsplus.com had me reflecting on the 2 book offers I’ve had. Notice I’m not saying that I wrote 2 books for large publishing houses. For those of you who haven’t yet contributed to a technical book or magazine – or even some commercial blogs – what you might not realize…
I’ll Always Do Some Client Work
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Just before Christmas, Bill Erickson, wrote a great article about why he stays as a consultant. Basically he rarely charges hourly and pretty much only works on things that can be optimized. The more ‘custom’ a feature is the more you’re just trading time for money since it’s less likely you can use it again.…
Tie Project Start to Client Deposits
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Early in my consulting career I promised time to clients on projects that never ended up happening. That meant I turned down other work because I had already promised my time to someone that would never end up giving me money. Rookie mistake. Project Completion Length So how then do I deal with clients that…
Technical Debt for Clients
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If you’ve ever built a big software project you’re totally familiar with the idea of technical debt, but it’s unlikely that your clients are familiar with it. So lets figure out what it is, and what we can do about it. What is Technical debt Technical debt can also be caused by building a feature…
Chrome Messenger Bags – Hardwearing and Waterproof
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One of the best cycling related purchases I’ve ever made was a proper messenger bag for carrying my stuff around, it took me many tries to find one though. I’ve had a Timbuk2 bag. Great for walking around and looking stylish, but mostly useless for actually riding around, and it won’t keep your stuff dry.…
Pricing your Services
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I’ve been thinking about pricing a bunch lately, mainly because of my income goals for the year. Six Revisions has a great article to help you price your services and present it to clients. I already price based on value so the take aways for me are how I’m going to show my pricing. One…
On Dealing with Freelance Finances
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Today we talk a bit about how I deal with my freelance finances.