Way different than how I usually do it. 1) Meet someone at a pub and introduce each other. 2) Learn everything I can about his work/business, rank within the

Way different than how I usually do it. 1) Meet someone at a pub and introduce each other. 2) Learn everything I can about his work/business, rank within the organization and what they do. 3) Discover something we can work on, either on the spot or after another planned meeting, this time over coffee. 4) Bet the farm and everything you own on a potential joint venture, give them a 2 month timeline til project. 5) Research like crazy and learn everything you can about the project, the client, their business. 6) Have the client write you checks weekly while you solve the general case. 7) Deliver the project, launch a "startup" on the side and get support and improvement contracts from the client. 8) Work 4-5 hours a day on this startup, reach out to the world and see who else is interested in the product and how can you help the industry. 9) Write articles for industry and trade publication and be sorta famous for computerizing one aspect of their business. 10) Gather ideas for sub-projects and launch a software sweatshop of one man, churning out good stuff for a handful of big boys, work like crazy, and be wired the whole fucking time. 11) Look around you for an exit, having discovered you pretty much painted yourself into a corner in terms of interesting problems to solve ;-)