Mistle Thrush Ltd Life as a Freelancer Paul Davison, Mistle Thrush Ltd Paul Davison, Mistle Thrush Ltd My history and connection with QMUoL My history and connection with QMUoL Aims of this talk Aims of this talk

Mistle Thrush Ltd Becoming a Freelancer Why did I do it? Why did I do it? Wanted more freedom Wanted more freedom Needed more technical challenge Needed more technical challenge Wanted less interference Wanted less interference Less commuting/inflexible work hours Less commuting/inflexible work hours

Mistle Thrush Ltd Becoming a Freelancer Reasons not to do it: Reasons not to do it: There isn’t a safety net There isn’t a safety net You have to find the work yourself You have to find the work yourself What happens if you fall ill? What happens if you fall ill? Less “networking” with colleagues Less “networking” with colleagues Need a lot of self-discipline, it’s not for everyone Need a lot of self-discipline, it’s not for everyone

Mistle Thrush Ltd Setting it up Ways of working for yourself Ways of working for yourself Sole Trader/partnership Sole Trader/partnership Limited Company Limited Company Umbrella Company Umbrella Company I chose Limited Company I chose Limited Company Company Registration Company Registration Accountant Accountant Ongoing liabilities Ongoing liabilities

Mistle Thrush Ltd Banks Open a business bank account Open a business bank account Need company registration documents Need company registration documents Almost certainly need a business plan Almost certainly need a business plan Raising finance Raising finance Depends on your plan and your track record Depends on your plan and your track record Security Security

Mistle Thrush Ltd Accounting Ongoing accounting needed Ongoing accounting needed Sending out bills Sending out bills Receiving payments Receiving payments Running a payroll Running a payroll Dividends Dividends VAT VAT Voluntary or Compulsory Voluntary or Compulsory Can be advantageous to register Can be advantageous to register

Mistle Thrush Ltd Insurance Statutory requirement: Employers Liability Statutory requirement: Employers Liability Minimum £5,000,000 setting Minimum £5,000,000 setting Public Liability Public Liability Damage to someone else’s property Damage to someone else’s property Professional Indemnity Professional Indemnity Tax and VAT investigation insurance Tax and VAT investigation insurance IR35 IR35

Mistle Thrush Ltd Finding Work Contacts Contacts Agencies Agencies Online job sites Online job sites Local businesses Local businesses Web advertising Web advertising Paper advertising Paper advertising Phone calls Phone calls

Mistle Thrush Ltd Setting a price Payment per hour Payment per hour Payment per job Payment per job What price to charge? What price to charge? Offering incentives Offering incentives

Mistle Thrush Ltd Contracts Setting the basic ground rules Setting the basic ground rules Conditions of payment Conditions of payment Substitution clause Substitution clause Professional Indemnity Professional Indemnity Tailored to client or project Tailored to client or project

Mistle Thrush Ltd The UK Marketplace Viewed as high cost Viewed as high cost Overseas software development is becoming popular Overseas software development is becoming popular Large concentration in London and South East Large concentration in London and South East Take a “service” based approach Take a “service” based approach Find projects and technologies that require personal involvement, not remotely Find projects and technologies that require personal involvement, not remotely

Mistle Thrush Ltd Work Examples R L Davison & Co Ltd R L Davison & Co Ltd Strategic planning and advice Strategic planning and advice Networking (security and operations) Networking (security and operations) VPN/Wireless VPN/Wireless /Web projects /Web projects Fileserver maintenance Fileserver maintenance Linux expertise Linux expertise

Mistle Thrush Ltd Work Examples Localeyes UK Ltd Localeyes UK Ltd My old company My old company Networking consulting Networking consulting UNIX consulting UNIX consulting Help with office move project Help with office move project General technical fallback General technical fallback

Mistle Thrush Ltd Work Examples Juniper networks Juniper networks UNIX help and advice UNIX help and advice MacOS X MacOS X Gaming project Gaming project Client/server contacts database Client/server contacts database

Mistle Thrush Ltd Future Plans Charities Charities Small companies Small companies Local Businesses Local Businesses Agencies Agencies Advertising Advertising

Mistle Thrush Ltd Is it a good idea? Yes, because Yes, because You are your own boss You are your own boss You set your own working hours You set your own working hours You have control over your working environment You have control over your working environment You have the potential to do very well financially You have the potential to do very well financially If you are both determined and lucky, it could be the start of something big If you are both determined and lucky, it could be the start of something big

Mistle Thrush Ltd Is it a good idea? No, because No, because You are on your own You are on your own You have to do everything yourself You have to do everything yourself There is nobody else to blame when things go wrong There is nobody else to blame when things go wrong There’s no “cushion” to fall back on There’s no “cushion” to fall back on You don’t have colleagues to exchange ideas with You don’t have colleagues to exchange ideas with The administration is a nuisance The administration is a nuisance You need to be self-disciplined to keep your skills up to date and take enough holiday You need to be self-disciplined to keep your skills up to date and take enough holiday

Mistle Thrush Ltd The End Thanks and good luck Thanks and good luck