ADVEN T U RE S I N C O NS U LT I NG
Eighteen things
nobody tells you
about solo practice
BY DOUG SAMUELSON
So you’ve decided to break
free of whatever organization you worked for and go
out on your own as an analytics guru, have you? Solo practice does
have its attractions. You’ll have a boss
you can always reason with. You get to
set your own hours, rates and expectations. Freedom! But there are a few things
you had better keep in mind.
S
– it’s all yours! You see to it or it won’t get
done. This means:
2. Your time and attention are your
most critical and scarce resources.
Manage them accordingly. Lots of people
will want to talk to you, usually about what
they want, not what you want. Be polite
and approachable, but learn to say “no,”
preferably gently, but firmly when necessary. You’ll have to say “no” a lot. And, to
make this aspect of your life more difficult:
1. Everything is your responsibility.
Paying the bills, writing thank-you notes
and holiday cards, marketing, sales, do3. Hordes of people have someing the taxes, even cleaning the toilet thing to tell you. Ralph Waldo
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