Monday marked the start of my third week as an “independent service provider,” which is loosely translated to Man Who Works for Self. My company, Prevoyance Group has been pumping out invoices, and word on the street is that the first official check should be coming next week.

Working for oneself is quite an adventure, and if it weren’t for the encouragement of the better half of PatandMeg.com, I don’t think I would have made the plunge. Work has a whole new lustre to it when you know that the money you earn goes straight into your pocket, and that any successes or failures drive your destiny. I am no longer at the whim of some corporate machine (other than my client) who can “rightsize” me or send me to some gawdawful project in East Armpit, Wisconsin.

One of the most interesting aspects of my new found lot in life is working with other independent consultants. It takes a certain mixture of gumption, resolve, quirkiness and a heaping helping of madness to succeed in this business, and I am the relative baby of my team with only six years of experience. In addition to tons of SAP knowledge, much of it of questionable value at social events, my colleagues are full of strange tales. One speaks in animated tones about visits to India for “business opportunities” while becoming greatly upset at even the slightest mention of administrivia, while another is full of tales of her adventures as a bona fide slumlord, a “side job” outside her consulting activities.

Lunchtime conversations range from tales of lost love and nasty divorces, to where the best suits can be bought in Shanghai. While this sounds quite exotic, it’s more than balanced with frequent bitching over lost photocopies of hotel receipts, the nuances of the fax machine at the client site and incessant complaining about all things travel-related. Every consultant is a simultaneous authority on dining, lodging and air travel, and the mere mention of the crooks at Delta taking away the 25% mileage bonus, or the earth shattering inconvenience of a doughnut drought at the free continental breakfast, is all it takes to throw a mild mannered SAP consultant into a fit of rage.

I’ve always employed a policy of hanging out with non-consultants as much as possible to ensure I don’t become that evil beast, the perma-consultant, who speaks of “best practices” when discussing making an omelet, or refers to his or her special someone as a “key stakeholder in the work/life balance equation.” While it’s fun to be part of this rare breed Monday through Friday, it’s even more refreshing to come home and go an entire weekend without lamenting American Express’ latest point promotion, or hear the phrase “outside the box” used when not referring to the crap I hid in a closet and still need to unpack.

So, if you’re bored and have a few hours to kill, ask your nearest consultant friend which is better: Starwood or Marriott. In the meantime, I have to go fill out my expense report, and research the latest rental car promotions. By the way, the steak in East Armpit, Wisconsin is horrible!

Categories: Work
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