I think consulting + contracting is definitely the way to go. When I consult through MetaOptimize, part of my goal is to work with smart people that I couldn't

I think consulting + contracting is definitely the way to go. When I consult through MetaOptimize, part of my goal is to work with smart people that I couldn't get otherwise, who work with me because they can set their own hours and work from where they want. This means that I have access, for example, to smart engineers + scientists in academia who want to keep doing research for pleasure but make spare cash on the side. (p.s. we're hiring people for part-time, remote work arrangements: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1748833 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1748833) It's sad to see in the Who's Hiring post (http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1748045 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1748045) that so few employers offer flexible work arrangements. I think a lot of top talent is lost this way.