One reason this thread is fascinating is it dips into consulting business
practices.  I always consider consulting to be my "fall-back" job, I've
done it, will probably do it again, and my current employer is no more
than a long-term client.   One of the reasons I am not doing it now
(besides the fact that someone is paying me a salary)  is stress level, on
both me and my family, given the roller-coaster pay and pressure to work
all hours.  Here are some questions to any consultants on the list:

1.  How do you deal with health insurance?  Just pay a lot?  Have a spouse
with another job where insurance is available?

2.  Is roller-coaster pay a problem for you?  Boom and bust business?

3.  How about long hours or travel?  Does that stress out your family?

4.  How do you go about capitalizing the business?  pay as you go, loans,
a combo?

5.  What specifically does a consultant need to have around besides a
computer, a scope, some hand tools, a compiler, an Eprom burner and an
ICE?

6.  Do you have a standard contract?

7. Do you have a home office or a remote office?  Does the remote office
allow you to leave the job behind?

8.  How many hours a week do you spend working - 50?  70?

9. How do you advertize your business - word of mouth?  Long term
customers?  Bingo cards?  Ads in Circuit Cellar?  Spam to
alt.suckers.news?  ;-)

10. Without divulging salary per se, do you feel you make more or less
money as a consultant or as an employee?  Per year?  Per Hour?








-- Lawrence Lile









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