Going 1099 is a book that teaches you how to become a solo federal sub-contractor and gain control of your working life, earn more money and unlock more free time. I wrote it because quite a few people have asked me how they can become a 1099. I figured it was best to write a single book that I can send them and that I can share with others who are interested. This newsletter goes out Monday - Friday and covers topics that will help you succeed in starting and maintaining successful 1099 career.
Are you too senior to go 1099?
In my book, I make a point that if you're already pretty senior (management level) at a company, it will be a little tricky to go 1099 (at least, using my methods) as there are less spots for senior people and most companies won't want to bring on a management level person as a 1099. I think if you're at this level, you have a few options. The first option is to fall back to an individual contributor type role. This might mean going back to doing work you did a few years ago, if you still have those skills. You would probably be a Subject Matter Expert (SME) and lean heavily on your client relationships to pull this off. The second option is to go straight to building a company. Presumably if you're senior enough, you have the experience and the network to convince four or five people to come work for you, and then find a friendly prime to bring on your company to an existing contract or a future proposal. You can take one of the positions for yourself so you're billable. It will come down to a personality/interest thing. If you like being a SME and not managing people, pick option one. If you like the idea of being a business owner and growing a successful company, pick option two. Either way, I don't think it's impossible to become a 1099 if you're very senior, I think it's just less straightforward because there are fewer opportunities at a higher level. If you're interested in learning how to get your first solo 1099 federal sub-contract, check out my book: |
I'm Dale, the author of Going 1099
Going 1099 is a book that teaches you how to become a solo federal sub-contractor and gain control of your working life, earn more money and unlock more free time. I wrote it because quite a few people have asked me how they can become a 1099. I figured it was best to write a single book that I can send them and that I can share with others who are interested. This newsletter goes out Monday - Friday and covers topics that will help you succeed in starting and maintaining successful 1099 career.
If you are friends with Maverick, maybe he'll tell you about his MIG encounterSource One of the primes I work with has a director that is good friends with the client. The client feeds information about problems or issues back to the prime before it gets escalated, allowing them to prepare for or address it before hand. Is this shady? No. These are the informal channels of communication you can open up if you have good relationships. I only know about this because I met with the prime program...
Okay maybe Google's cafeteria is a nice perk of W2 life....Source One of the reasons you can earn more money as a 1099 than as a W2 employee is because your personal cost structure are likely way lower than a company's cost structure. As a 1099, you don't need a fancy office, an HR person or middle management, a company Christmas party, boring annual trainings, or free coffee. Okay free coffee is nice, scratch that. But this infrastructure costs money, and while a larger company may need it,...
Me enjoying the workplace dramaSource I just met with a friend who is a deputy PM for a contract. He mentioned some drama with a few of his employees on the contract (HR complaint, desire for recognition, etc.). These employees give him headaches, even though the work is acceptable. He said if they would just do their work and keep their head down everything would be fine. You, as an aspiring 1099, could have an advantage if you're known for simply being a quiet professional. If you just do...