Have A Sellable Skill That Can Stand Alone

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Too many people have just company skills. Skills that only sell within an existing company structure. It makes it very difficult for them to strike out on their own or earn extra income. All they do provide value only when there are others to complement.

What type of skills fall within that category? All skills.

What type of skills fall within the standalone sellable category? Again, all skills.

Then what is the difference? I call it the "extra mile". Some people are willing and used to going the extra mile, doing everything needed to make their value shine forth while others would rather leave other people's tasks to other people.

The main difference between me and another Excel guru finding it hard to strike out on his own is that I do, in addition to my Excel work, marketing and customer management and website development and everything necessary to get me a paying client. But the other guy is waiting for a ready made opportunity, one in which someone else has done those other tasks and he just has to do Excel.

The main difference between the sales guys who build successful consulting companies and the other sales guys who can't cope without getting a corporate job is that the former takes out his time to learn some bit of the technical work and is ready to go all lengths, covering for other people's lapses, while the latter will rather not use Panadol for another man's headache. The latter is an expert at drawing clear lines of where his responsibilities start and stop.

The main difference between solo consultants earning big bucks from their technical skills and the other technical experts who must look for a regular employment is the level of risk they are willing to take on. The consultant is more willing to tolerate the time wasting crap the business people fill meetings with, is okay with taking blame for what isn't his fault and going extra length to manage the client, while the latter can't bear someone else not doing his assigned job right.

Anytime you feel you don't have skill enough to strike out on your own, remember that it means that you are just less willing to do more than you are paid to do. Remember that it means you are less willing to take on risk. Remember that it means you are less willing to work without a structure. Remember that it means you want someone else to do all the unplanned work while you focus on just what you signed up for.

Any skill you currently have can be made sellable if you will go all the length to sell it. If you will do the marketing, the client management, the receivables managing and every other task needed to achieve successful sales.