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.