5 ms·
Hit the virtual pavement. When I decided to take on a new consulting client I researched the local businesses and created a list of around 10 that could potent
by comrade1 11y ago
Hit the virtual pavement.
When I decided to take on a new consulting client I researched the local businesses and created a list of around 10 that could potentially need programming work and matched my area of programming background. I then did email contacts to arrange an in-person meeting. (face-to-face is very important)
I was lucky and found a small company (just two guys) right away that were changing their focus from print/radio/tv healthcare messaging to internet and mobile. It started out as a normal hourly rate, but I eventually negotiated to a revenue sharing model and then later I negotiated to own 13% of the company + revenue sharing. This happened over the course of about 10 years and it's still going strong. (I started with my high normal consulting rate and then later cut that in half as part of the revenue sharing agreement, then much later when I took ownership of the company I now no longer charge hourly and am paid entirely through the revenue sharing)
I've also used other people I've worked with in the past to help me in my consulting projects. So if you have friends or professional contacts that you've worked well with in the past it works to contact them. Word of mouth goes a long way in this business. And I've also met potential clients at local meet ups, but those have yet to pan out but I think if I really pushed it I could get some work out of them.
Also, if you have a tech incubator in your area try to meet up with the startups in the incubator. I've done that in two cities (one in CA, one in Europe) and it's worked well.
Also, be aware of scummy people and any decisions that you make that can affect your future career. I lived near the 'other' valley where most porn is produced and received unsolicited contacts from small porn companies. I didn't take on any of those projects which is good because later I did consulting in Defense and NSA projects and also worked for a major San Jose based tech company for a couple of years.
- getsat 11y ago>which is good because later I did consulting in Defense and NSA projects If you work in the adult film industry, you can't work for the government/get security clearances?
- caw 11y agoI'd like to say that means performers but I'm sure it's intentionally vague in the document -- security clearance applications are big on screening for potential things that you could be blackmailed or bribed for. Extensive debt, gambling, and drug use are all on the form. http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/security-clearance-jobs/security-clearance-eligibility.html http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/security-clearance-jobs...
- VLM 11y agoI went thru the process (a long time ago) and if you worked in pr0n (although I did not) an excellent way to fail a security check would be trying something like hiding your past employment from a hard core evang fundamentalist C.O. or something similar to that. Theoretically leading to an enemy agent blackmailing you to keep your past quiet if only you'll give him a photocopy of some document or a password or whatever. But if you already told security you were a sysadmin at nude-hackernews-posters.com or whatever then it would be REALLY hard to blackmail you about something that's already public knowledge... If this line applies to the issue, you're OK: "The behavior no longer serves as a basis for coercion, exploitation, or duress."
- comrade1 11y agoThe people I worked with would not hire someone that worked in porn. Also, my boss at adobe would not either. A gambling or porn background reduces your career options.
- krisroadruck 11y agoAdobe has employed and if memory serves me correct still employs SEO (search engine optimization) peeps who have previous porn experience.
- comrade1 11y agoYes, the company does and will. But there are managers who won't. Same thing in defense - you can still get clearance but considering how many in the industry are Mormon you decrease your chances of being hired.
- __z 11y agoThe defense industry runs heavily Mormon? Since when? I work in the defense industry and I've never heard of that.
- comrade1 11y agoFor example: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/peculiarpeople/2014/04/mormons-and-the-fbi-a-bleg/ http://www.patheos.com/blogs/peculiarpeople/2014/04/mormons-... Just do a quick search on Mormons and nsa, cia, fbi. They are over represented. Perhaps you didn't even know? And it's no secret that Air Force command is extremely religious.
- joshdance 11y agoThe CIA and FBI do have recruitment programs for Mormon graduates, as they value the language skills and their abstinence from alcohol, drugs etc. And while they may be over-represented proportionally, they don't run the show of course. Most of the sources I have seen take the few hard numbers available and do a lot of speculation on the top.
- wheaties 11y agoReally? We hired a guy that worked for two of the largest porn companies (they account for 2 and 3 percent of US traffic, respectively) and never looked back. Now that is a guy who knows how to scale and more importantly keep it running.
- duaneb 11y ago> Also, be aware of scummy people and any decisions that you make that can affect your future career. I lived near the 'other' valley where most porn is produced and received unsolicited contacts from small porn companies. I didn't take on any of those projects which is good because later I did consulting in Defense and NSA projects and also worked for a major San Jose based tech company for a couple of years. Given recent events, I would consider government contracting far more of a black mark than anything in industry.