Dave Donaldson

I'm up late and I realized that I've been independent for just over 6 months now, so I thought I'd reflect a bit...

Getting started was a whirlwind because there was so much to do. I needed to form the actual company, I needed to get some home-office stuff, buy a laptop and some other computer equipment, finalize my first contract, wrap up my old job, get a new cell phone, etc. I remember sitting in my insurance agent's office, for what seemed like everyday for two weeks, pouring over all the different types of insurances I was going to need. I had constant lunch meetings and phone calls with numerous consulting companies that had open projects to fill. I remember trying to narrow down my preferences of projects based on length, rate, company, my role on the project, and what the actual project was. Then there was the negotiation of my first contract as we had “differing opinions” on the rate and some of the insurance requirements.

But looking back, it was all worth it and then some. On the post where I announced that I was going independent, DonXML left a comment saying that being independent is more of a mindset than a career choice, and that once you start thinking that way, you'll never go back. I see very clearly what he meant by that. I can never imagine not doing this. I can't imagine working for the man again (maybe Microsoft, as that's probably the only “man“ I'd consider working for - but not for quite a while at least). It didn't take me long to totally change mindsets.

Once I landed and completed my first gig, everything continued to fall into place. Sure, I had a couple “interesting” times with managing invoices and late payments, but it wasn't unexpected. I knew going in stuff like that would happen. You learn to deal with it and plow through it. There was one particular time where I was having doubts because I was in between contracts and our safety net of money was dwindling. Again, it wasn't unexpected, but it was nerve-racking the first time going through that situation. Fortunately, that period didn't last long and I was back in the saddle.

One of the most important things to happen these last 6 months is the relationships I've built with guys like Drew Robbins, James Avery, and Brian Sherwin. Brian once said that being independent doesn't mean you are alone. What he meant is that there are others out there in similar situations, and they are there to help, to lean on, to work with, and just to talk to. That's a huge thing and its importance cannot be overlooked.

So there you have it, my thoughts on my first 6 months of independence. Hopefully they prove useful to someone, maybe someone who's been thinking about going independent but can't quite pull the trigger. Maybe this was the nudge they need. Either way, here's looking forward to another great 6 months.