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.
Even dictators are frustrated by bureaucracy
The WSJ had a funny article about the Chinese government being frustrated by its own bureaucracy. China’s Plan B to Save the Economy: A Crusade Against Busywork President Xi has mandated that its various government entities stop being so focused on things like daily reporting of their work, vanity projects, and nonsense activities in order to actually do, you know, real work. "The directive to supervisors: Hold fewer meetings and make them shorter. Cut superfluous paperwork. Don’t burden the 'grassroots'—local-level government workers—with cumbersome and unproductive tasks. Stop using phone apps to track staff and bombard them with instructions. Don’t overwhelm them with performance reviews, lest they focus on pleasing their bosses rather than getting work done." It's funny to me that even a dictator can't get his own government to do things. The article describes the incentives at play. Chinese bureaucrats fear that if they do anything actually innovative or that brings value, they will be punished for deviating from government dictates. And...they're probably right! Though you're unlikely to be imprisoned in the US, almost all bureaucracies have similar incentive structures, and, they probably frustrate your clients too. So if you, as an aspiring or current 1099, are willing to take a little professional risk and take action that delivers value instead of focusing on rules and reporting, you will stand out to your client. Don't be a bureaucrat. Your dictator ... I mean client, will thank you. 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...