Am I?

I'm reading this book on computer consulting, and a particular passage jumped out at me very forcefully. It was regarding the differences between an employee and a consultant.

An employee has some leeway. An employee is expected to learn on the job. But a consultant is expected to come into the job ready to perform at a completely professional level. That doesn't mean consultants don't make mistakes. But it does mean that the mistakes they make are the mistakes of an extremely competent person. If you are just learning your trade, no matter how much you bill clients or what services you sell, don't expect others to conside you a 'real' consultant.

Interesting. What kinds of mistakes do I make? How often do I err? I believe I am doing well for myself as an IT professional, so this is not a self-deprecating confessional, more like a challenge to constantly improve and not get complacent. Remember, despite how much one knows, it is insignificant whencompared with what is still out there to be mastered and understood.

I Don't Know Where to Begin

There is a blog topic I have been sitting on for over a year, and it recently slapped me in the face again about two weeks ago. I have to set this topic free, but I can't right now. I have to go to the grocery store ASAP because we are out of milk, both Skim milk and soy milk. The kids are getting dressed and ready, and I know that even with their inefficient summer routine (10 minute tasks routinely take 45 minutes when school is out), I won't have time to do the subject matter justice. So that one will have to wait for another day.

My Small Business Management course has been a revelation to me, and not all of it has been pleasant. I wish I had taken this class 2 years ago, when I first started my business and taking classes to complete my degree. I am confident in my technical skills, but this class has exposed numerous business deficiencies, some accounting-related, some marketing-related, some management-related. Ah well, life is made for learning. This week we are covering chapters 9 through 11, and ch. 9 is about managing cash flow. Yes, I definitely needed this lesson. I think I have $56 in my business account right now. It's pretty pathetic. The chapter talks about how many small businesses fail because they don't create a cash budget, and thus fail to see cash crunches before they become cash crises. I'm in the section on accounts receivables and realizes that I'm just too nice of a guy for my own good. I have a customer who has owed me over $300 for a PC I custom built for her over 18 months ago. I have not been aggressive enough in pursuing this, instead believing that people in general (and Christians in particular) will do the right thing and at least TRY to pay their bills. Okay, so I guess that makes me a cherry, full of youthful naivete. That's fine. But the age of innoncence is passing. I now have two more customers who both just passed the 60 days past due mark, and both of them attend my church. So what should I do? Not deal with fellow congregants, to avoid tension and beef? Insist on cash only? I'm not sure. But the kids are ready, so I will mull this over on the way to Walmart and Sam's Club.