Just over six years ago, my lovely and talented wife, Melissa Henderson left behind her employers and struck out on her own. Well, not alone. She brought along Joy Ruffin, who’d moved with her from Russell Reynolds to Gilbert Tweed. Oh, and she brought me, though I kept my day job. While our friend Joy isn’t with the company any more, it has grown far beyond using a spare bedroom as corporate headquarters. There have been a lot of lessons along the way, so when Lisa Duke’s session for MWLUG 2015 was announced, I put Melissa in touch with her. Melissa often travels with me to my conferences (and I sometimes to hers, since both of us can work from anywhere), so it seemed a perfect fit. Now, my wife will be on a panel at a technical conference before I’ve done it myself!
CS101: Entrepreneur’s Roundtable: What “They” Never Tell You About Owning a Business
Have you ever considered going out on your own as a consultant (or worry that one day your company may “liberate” you and you may need to contract between permanent jobs)? What are the common pitfalls to avoid? What’s involved? And with all that, what perks are there to make it worthwhile? Join the discussion from seasoned small business owners both inside and outside the IT world to share your experiences and learn from others.
I’m very much looking forward to the session, not just to see her speak (and videotape it, as I do several sessions at each MWLUG), but to hear the experience of the other entrepreneurs. As the spouse and sounding board for her, it will really help me her her in the future.
So, if you enjoy the session, make sure to introduce yourself and feel free to buy her a glass of French wine!
Lost in Code 