I’m a consultant. I’m typically hired to perform a task or service based on a deep subject-matter expertise that I bring to the table. Increasingly however, I’ve been working with other consultants who have clients of their own and need my services. This represents a completely different dynamic because there a whole new set of factors:

• Is the consultant in a jam and needs some assistance ASAP?
• Will the client know about me or do I need to be invisible?
• Is there budget to bring me in or will the consultant be paying out of pocket?

These are all exciting, because I know what it’s like to be like on the other side of the phone/computer. I’ve been working with several great consultants on the west coast recently and I’m noticing some trends:

• When it’s time to pay, they don’t mess around. Consider it sent.
• There is a strong sense of mutual respect and gratitude.
• Everyone knows what it’s like to have their neck on the line.

There isn’t really a strong closing point or a summary that ties it all together; I’m just enjoying the journey and reporting things as I have time.

As you were.