The Comeback Girl

I like love want to marry this blog not just because brilliant like minded people are reading and discussing it, but because its keeping me accountable. Outside of all the spiritual woo woo stuff that I preach on blog writing (and I do believe that writing is spiritual), it also is requiring that I not only keep it real with you, but more importantly myself. It’s a register of all my comebacks and not so comebacks. And growth was never inspired by faking the metaphoric funk.

I also very recently wrote about making my demands for more money to my consulting company where I am the subcontractor. I also wrote about their huge margins in excess of 30%. And the client approaching me about billing them directly (after consulting company tried to hit them up for more). As you remember I went to an attorney, came home and discovered I made some errors lessons in which to learn. Some Most where consciousness oriented, some were contractual the rest were hard core business basics. From a consciousness perspective, I never thought about my real worth until I was forwarded in error the invoice with bill rate in excess of 100/hr. Then I reasoned “Hell to the naw. This is money that is made from “Acme” consulting doing NO WORK every week. They are making a huge spread on my engineering, fixes, ideas, productivity etc., without even turning on their computer.”

Now I reason, they have every right to make that money at the expense of me thinking like a fearful employee with low self esteem who can’t read a contract. There were also non-solicitation clauses that I could have negotiated better and I never asked for the conformed agreement after signing all docs.

After it was all said and done, Acme gave a song and dance about the client not being able to go over x amount without senior VP status approval. And I’m a little shaky on some of the risks of being sued with the non-solicitation although the client did approach me, if I went direct. After all this: 3 dollars. Yes a 3 dollar increase. Not to fret Comeback Kids, this was a slightly expensive lesson but I get it. And there are many highlighted over at Self Made Chick.

#1: Value should be results based. And please believe that I’m not just doing a status report which I started to quantify completed tasks, but I am also creating a spreadsheet as a result of cost saving initiatives I’m working on-I’m keeping track of every dollar that my client makes and saves as a result, down to the PENNY. This information sets the standard for how to quantify my worth with present and future clients.

#2: Never negotiate based on fear, which is why I will always have other things in the hopper-understanding my limitations. Those things in the hopper can not and will not affect current projects and clients.

#3: Read the f$!!! contract (ALL OF IT) and consult an atty if necessary. I totally believe that the atty bill rate is worth any possible frustration in the end.

#4: build your own relationships and contacts to take the place of an Acme whose job really is to introduce players.

#5: Ask myself why not more. Kill those thoughts of times when my family told me I made enough. Thinking like a poor person can be hereditary but I have to let that go.