Anybody out there Contracting... NOT JOB ADVERT...

[Expiry]

I've been thinking, for a while now of offering my services to the small business man and home users, I feel this could be a part-time start and a way in, without having to give up my full-time job. It's surprising how little basic knowledge people have.

I'm certainly not an Excel expert, but I seem to know more than most of my friends and colleagues. I find, though, that it's a way of thinking rather than actually knowing what Excel does that stops people using it properly. I doubt that I know 2% of what Excel can do, but when presented with a problem, I can often figure out pretty quickly whether or not this is something Excel should be able to solve, then I go and find the solution.

 

[DiscoPistol]

I've been thinking, for a while now of offering my services to the small business man and home users, I feel this could be a part-time start and a way in, without having to give up my full-time job. It's surprising how little basic knowledge people have.

I've thought the same, and the one thing stopping me is that I'm an Analyst and not a Salesman. I like to be cooped up in a dark room with an intriguing problem, not designing Ads and selling the virtue of Array Formula to bosses who would rather spend 000's on a 'bespoke' application without looking at whats in front of them......*Vent Over*

Does anyone have any suggestions how one would you go about 'sharing your wares' with the rest of the free world (or in my case Devon)?

Thanks

Dave

 

[schielrn]

I can often figure out pretty quickly whether or not this is something Excel should be able to solve, then I go and find the solution.

Can't Excel solve everything?

 

[cornflakegirl]

Does anyone have any suggestions how one would you go about 'sharing your wares' with the rest of the free world (or in my case Devon)?

Talk to Tracy?

 

[DonkeyOte]

Expiry, I tend to err with you insofar as I'm not exactly gifted with the "patter" and/or soliciting my skills (not since Uni at any rate )...

My other concern about being an XL consultant is that as web app developer I'm a BIG believer that if you've got more than say 5000 rows of data in your spreadsheet or it's heading upwards of 5-10MB you should be using a database for storage and VBA for calcs ... and if you want really good security you should really use a webclient not XL (though XL is FAR better modelling tool...)...

None of these beliefs in my experience tend to be readily accepted by the old school FD/CFO (pending their own inherent nerd rating obviously) ... I would find it difficult to build something I didn't think was the right solution to the problem... as an employee it's a bit easier to argue your case (and win) as you're there for the long haul to support your "vision" ... as a consultant I think you'd to simply have to swallow your pride and get on with it for the client, or am I wrong ?
(Please tell me I'm wrong...)

P.S. Who is Tracy ????

 

[Greg Truby]

P.S. Who is Tracy ????

a.k.a. starl, a.k.a. poolside goddess, Tracy Syrstad is Bill's right-hand woman; i.e. project manager. She rides herd over the consulting projects and (I think) book projects. She was co-author on their VBA book.

 

[Stormseed]

a.k.a. poolside goddess

 

[Expiry]

as an employee it's a bit easier to argue your case (and win) as you're there for the long haul to support your "vision" ... as a consultant I think you'd to simply have to swallow your pride and get on with it for the client, or am I wrong ?
(Please tell me I'm wrong...)

That is a very good point. I guess you're right, it's something I'd not considered. But this then brings up another problem in that, as a consultant, you would have to condition yourself to perhaps come up with a solution that may be best for the client, but not perhaps what you personally would want to do.

 

[DiscoPistol]

That is a very good point. I guess you're right, it's something I'd not considered. But this then brings up another problem in that, as a consultant, you would have to condition yourself to perhaps come up with a solution that may be best for the client, but not perhaps what you personally would want to do.

Another problem (I find as a Contractor) is that if your hired as an 'Excel expert' they don't want you going near anything else. Most of the data I manipulate is on SQL servers but, despite years of experience with SQL, am I allowed access to them? (thats a no in case your wondering)

Instead I have to import them into Access, where I do my queries in the SQL editor, and then link them to Excel.

Crazy

 

[Andrew Fergus]

I agree - you have to swallow your pride and do what the client wants. You may suggest an alternative approach and if they are reasonable they will listen, and will then usually explain why they would rather run with Excel (usually the staff aren't up to other applications and/or the client likes things in Excel).

Regarding being 'classified' as an Excel expert and only an Excel expert, I usually find a quick/informal chat to the IT Manager usually opens a door or two. Once they are confident in your abilities (or self confidence) then the barriers are usually removed. In so doing I almost always run things past the IT Manager to make sure I'm not stepping on any toes (and to make them feel like they are in charge).

Andrew