I think Patrick's article is one of the best-written I've seen about the realities of the intersection of programming and business for people who have come from

I think Patrick's article is one of the best-written I've seen about the realities of the intersection of programming and business for people who have come from a strict tech background with zero business exposure. In my experience what he says is spot-on in almost every way. Businesses exist to make money. Yes, very often making stuff is an integral part of the business model, but its still a business. To excel in a business you need to be responsible for growing its bottom line. This can only happen through increasing revenue or decreasing costs. This probably applies more to consulting than any other field. If you go to a potential client and try to sell them on the fact that you are the best Java developer in 5 states, they are going to look at you with glazed eyes and stop listening. Tell them you think you can bring them a 10% increase in revenue with a simple piece of software, and you will get much further. This is in fact how large consulting firms make sales every day. I assure you they don't send in their developers to sell clients, they send in people who are flashy and know how to appeal to a decision-maker's interests. I think more than anything his article explains things that are necessary to successfully convey value to purse holders who don't speak techie. If you restrict yourself to describing yourself in purely technical terms, you will sound great to other people who understand you but will never resonate with those who don't.