Overall a great article, but I had a few issues too: 1. I worry about giving away some things for free. If you give away research time for free, or you chase a

Overall a great article, but I had a few issues too: 1. I worry about giving away some things for free. If you give away research time for free, or you chase a dead end and decide not to bill it, do you set a precedent that those things will be free in the future? 2. You're absolutely right on the financial front. Mingling your business and personal expenses, and not operating as an LLC or corporation, means all sorts of unnecessary risk. 3. He suggests that a consultant who only works regular hours is less valuable than a consultant who is willing to work 24/7, and so justifies lower rates. I think this is backwards: if I'm going to pay someone $100/hour, I want to know that they're thinking clearly and have slept. Otherwise, this is great advice. I wish I'd had it 5 years ago, when I started my first dev shop. The Warm Fuzzy Feeling (tm) concept right on; customers want a good relationship, and responsive communication, as much as they want technical skills.