Essay · 20 min read

How I went from $100-an-hour programming to $X0,000-a-week consulting

Patrick McKenzie (patio11) · training.kalzumeus.com Free Intermediate

Patrick McKenzie's classic account of turning a technical skill into a high-end consultancy: clients pay for value, not time, and the first engagement came from writing in public and one conversation with someone who had a problem.

  • Charge for the business result, not the hours.
  • Write about what you know in public so clients find you.
  • Raise prices with every engagement until some clients say no.

The question it answers

  1. How do I start a consulting business?

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