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.
Awkward 1099 situations
When I was converting my job into a 1099 gig, there were multiple situations that came up where I felt awkward or a little embarrassed. Announcing my desire to become a 1099 Since I was converting my job, I had to tell my boss I wanted to go 1099. I e-mailed him to set up a meeting and then said something like "my career goals have shifted and I'd like to explore the option of going 1099." Not terrible, but when he said the inevitable "let's revisit this in a month" I said "okay" and then had to awkwardly pester him for the follow up every few weeks. Their stalling made me feel weird. Negotiating I pitched maybe $95/hour initially and they came back with $75. We settled on $85 but I awkwardly blurted out I'd like to take Fridays off. It was a weird thing to say because it still made me look like an employee. I could have been more tactful or smooth about it. I still got Fridays off, but it was a little cringe. Admin ignorance There were several times when I had to ask the sub-contract administrator at the company what basic administrative things were. I didn't know what the various types of business insurance were or how to format an invoice or understand their role in maintaining my security clearance. As someone who hates looking dumb, it was uncomfortable. This was all in my head though. They didn't care and I got my admin ducks in a row. --- You're going to feel awkward or uncomfortable many times in your pursuit of a 1099 gig. The fear of being awkward though is worse than the actual experience. Don't let it prevent you going 1099 and improving your life. 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.
One of the reasons a company would bring on a 1099 or a sub-contractor is because bringing on a full time W2 employee would be too risky. If a contract has a limited amount of time left on it and there is a vacancy, companies may not want to hire someone because they're not sure if they'll have billable work for the employee after the contract ends. This is when hiring a 1099 would make sense, even if it reduces their margin. They're trading margin in exchange for a lower risky profile. In...
Hi all, Not returning to the newsletter just yet but thought I'd send out a link to an interview I did with Jonathan Stark on his podcast, Ditching Hourly. https://podcast.ditchinghourly.com/people/dale-davidson Jonathan advocates for getting away from hourly billing in your independent consulting practice. I agree, but I discuss why that's difficult in government contracting but why it might be okay anyway, particularly if you're jus getting started. He's a great follow for those of you who...
Hi all, I've enjoyed writing this newsletter for over a year now, but I've decided to take a hiatus for the time being. There is an extensive archive if you'd like to go back and read the previous ones. As always, if you have 1099 questions, feel free to ping me via e-mail at dale@1099fedhub.com. Good luck to you all! -Dale If you're interested in learning how to get your first solo 1099 federal sub-contract, check out my book: Going 1099: How to become a solo federal sub-contractor and gain...