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.
You’ll never eliminate risk
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I write a lot about risk mitigation in my book. It’s easy to romanticize the epic quit stories of now-successful entrepreneurs. But for most people, just quitting your job before you have something lined up will only really feel good in the moment. So I advise that anyone considering going 1099 make sure to have savings, validate their value in the job market, cultivate a good relationship with their current client and professional network, and then make a concrete plan to find their first 1099 gig. But, even if you follow all that advice, you’ll never reduce the risk or uncertainty to zero. For example, when I went 1099, I knew my gig would get three more months of funding, and was pretty confident it would get extended further, but didn’t know for sure. I did it anyway. However, there ended up being a gap in funding of about 4-6 weeks where I wasn’t working. It wasn’t the worst situation ever. I hung out by the pool for a month. But losing a month of income didn’t feel good. I won’t even go into the time I spent over a year without billable work due to dumb security clearance issues + COVID. That felt horrible and hit the wallet hard. But I don’t regret going 1099. If you’re looking to get your risk and uncertainty level down to zero before you make the leap, you’ll never do it. The key is to mitigate the risk to an acceptable level. You’ll still feel a little queasy in the stomach, but the more you learn to live with that feeling (conditional upon being a smart risk mitigator), the more likely you are to succeed. 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.
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...
Your client when you tell them no "That won't work" is the worst thing you can say to the client when they suggest an approach or solution to something. No one likes being told no, especially clients, and especially by their contractors. Instead of saying "that won't work," you should 1) Acknowledge their approach as one way to do that, 2) Suggest two or three alternate approaches along with your reasoning, and 3) Recommend one of them and say why This feels less "hostile" and gives the...
Being a people person makes you a target for PIPsSource The WSJ had a great article about how companies use "Performance Improvement Plans" or PIPs as a pretext for firing people. The Most Hated Way of Firing Someone Is More Popular Than Ever. It’s the Age of the PIP. -- In the messy business of getting rid of employees, the PIP is having a moment. A performance improvement plan is usually a list of tough-to-achieve goals to be completed within 30 to 90 days. Can’t shape up? You’re out. The...