I’ve been really lucky to have some guardian angels helping me with setting up Rebecca Industries. But I’ve noticed that some of their advice is contradictory. Here is a selection of the advice I’ve been given on starting working for myself with my prediction of what I might actually do. I’m interested to see how it turns out.
The first project
- take anything you can get for your first project
- don’t take anything you can for your first project – wait for a good one
Fortunately, I’ve so far only come across potential projects that sound really interesting. I’m in with a chance of pulling off the ideal scenario: don’t wait, but do get a good one quick.
Ideas
- give your ideas away for free
- don’t give your ideas away for free
Prediction: I expect I’ll give ideas away for free because having ideas makes me excited, and when I get excited about something I find it hard to stay quiet about it.
Doing free work
- do stuff for free
- don’t ever do stuff for free
Prediction: I’m already doing some pro bono agile coaching so it looks like I will be doing things for free.
Workload
- work like crazy, especially over the first few months
- don’t work too hard
Prediction: I’m going to try to stick to working 5 days a week.
