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.
Waste some time
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There's a great quote by Amos Tversky, a famous research psychologist who explored human decision-making: “The secret to doing good research is always to be a little underemployed. You waste years by not being able to waste hours.” Americans love the idea of being busy. It's a badge of honor to respond with "oh man I am swamped" when someone asks you how you're doing. But I've never been attracted to the busy state. I like having long blocks of time with nothing to do. As a 1099, you're in a better position than most to set that up for yourself. You can be a little underemployed, in both shorter timeframes (leave work at 3 PM or early on a Friday) and on longer ones (take 1-2 months off in between projects). You give up some money, but in exchange, here is what you can get out of your underemployment if you do it right:
Wasting some time in the short term may actually have greater benefits in the long term. So if you go 1099, make sure to send a calendar invite to yourself to "waste time." 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.
When a prime calls and asks for your helpSource I switched projects over a year ago, and the prime hired someone for my position. The prime PM called me recently and mentioned that their employee wasn't performing well on a project that I had worked on and asked if I would be interested in coming back. Now, I had already worked on this project as a sub/1099 so I don't have to negotiate that part. However, they only have four months left on the contract and need to make their client happy, so...
The prime PM when I pitch $1,000/hourSource It's normal to worry about coming in too high in a billable rate negotiation. There is some risk that you'll throw out a number that is too far away from a realistic number for the prime. But, if you take some precautions this risk is low. Here is what you can do to avoid that situation: Let the prime offer the first number. They will probably be on the low end but at least you'll know whether you're $10/hour apart or $60/hour Do your research. You...
Don't let this happen to you!Source One of the concerns I had when going 1099 was managing my security clearance. Specifically, I was worried it would expire and without a company to "hold" it, I wouldn't be able to get it back. This is a legitimate concern, so you should be particularly diligent about it. A few points on this: Make sure the prime (or at least one prime) "owns" your clearance profile in DISS Build a good relationship with the FSO Keep tabs on when you need to submit for a...