I’m an independent consultant looking for work. One Shore Inc is open for business.

Here’s my plan:

1. Spend the next week fermenting, which means:
   • reading — how to be a consultant and starting a business books, articles and websites
   • brushing up on skills — tutorials, test deployments, quick scripts
   • networking — contacting other consultants and startups and asking for advice. Not looking for potential customers yet
   • marketing prep– finishing up one-shore website redesign. Getting business cards, etc. Creating copy for website, building brochure. Creating an “elevator script” and a “value proposition”
   • Business details — squaring out legal, accounting, & business stuff. That includes cleaning up my desk & establishing a routine.
2. Spend the next month in R&D, which means:
   • Finding the right CMS/Framework for the website
   • More reading
   • Researching technology
   • Learning as much as I can from other small businesses
   • Learning as much as I can from potential customers (what do they want in a QA consultant / test tools?)
   • Building a prototype QA site
   • Work on side projects
3. Spend the second month looking for customers:
   • calling businesses
   • talking to recruiters
   • advertising
   • attend meetings and workshops
   • writing articles
   • Further work on QA site and other projects
4. Spend the third month doing “pro bono” work:
   • getting referrals
   • refining requirements (for both product and consulting)
   • building up a reputation
   • volunteer work for non-profits, etc.
5. In May, I need to make a decision, continue development and customer search, or start looking for a regular contract job. I’ll probably want a 3 month contract to replenish funds and secure income for moving. The goal is to have a paycheck by May 15.
6. Either continue consulting with an eye to diversifying after that or pick up where I left of after a contract. Possible move.

The side projects I’ll be working on (at least at first) will be for Herculean Group (an open source consortium) or Cape Henry Tech or related firm. I’m committed to 10 hours a week work for them for the next 3 months at least, doing java development, QA, and general IT operations. I may also take on web-dev work as well, but not in the first 2 months unless it falls in my lap.

I’ll also be working on the tools wiki and a QA tools book.

I’m open to contract work, telecommute full time work, or part time/short term on-site work.