How I Did It

How I Did It.

How I Resisted the Easy Money of Employment for The Hard Money of Consulting.

A Look Behind The Curtain

Each time I was tempted to convert to a full time employee, I looked at what I had to gain by being a consultant. Here’s what would pop into my mind. A long list of worthwhile things, which only consulting could give me…

Getting to have a faux business - ever since I ran Purple Patch (my own creative shop), I knew I was never so productive, so prolific, so creative, as when I was my own boss

Getting to work for different companies – I have worked directly (or indirectly, by working on implementations, or testing) for 14 different companies - wow, a corporate adventure, in itself

Getting to meet so many people in Sales Compensation and Commissions –  my network has expanded from a handful of people in Commissions and Sales Compensation to 50-100 people in Sales Compensation and Commissions, not to mention people in staffing agencies, and in implementation companies

Getting to train on, and work with different Commission Tools  - first it was Excel, then Centive, then Xactly, more recently, Varicent, and still more recently, Oracle Fusion (where I have just initial exposure, because we still haven't gone live at the company where it is being implemented); but given this background, I expect (hope) it’s a question of time, before I get to train on, and work with Callidus, Obero, Optymyze, and other commission tools of the present, and the future

Getting to use different commission systems and models – every company has their own “master” file – their own Excel beast, which is used to calculate crediting and commissions, or to sanity check the results of the automated tool. I have had a front row seat to observing, or working on this Excel beast in different companies

Getting exposure to a variety of sales compensation and commission system challenges - Oh the stories I can tell

Getting to work with different commission software architects - Commission software is not plug and play; it has to be customized for each company.  This is where the design architect has a big role to play. Each commission software architect has her or his own design approach. It has been fascinating and educative to work alongside some of the most experienced and savvy commission software architects

Getting to test plan change logic - Plans change.  When they do, the plan logic has to be changed.  And new plan logic has to be unit tested and UAT tested.  Unit testing and UAT testing are an art in themselves. I have seen that, based on the implementations I have worked on, and also because I had the privilege of testing plan change logic at Salesforce.com, 2 years in a row.The exposure was great

Getting exposure to different ERP systems – I have been on assignments where they use Great Plains, where they use SAP, where they use Oracle, and one assignment where ERP was still in the future, and they were still using, wait for it, Quickbooks

Getting exposure to different BI tools - This is important, only because it is where sales people track their orders. And if there are differences between their orders in the commission tool, and the BI tool, you will be sure to hear about it. So yes, as a commissions consultant, I have had to run BI reports out of different BI tools like Cognos, Birst, Tableau, and sometimes even proprietary BI tools

Getting exposure to different Commissions Analyst job roles - The role and function of a Commissions Analyst is different in different companies. And since I typically go in as the 'transition commissions analyst', I do whatever is defined for that role in my different assignments.

Getting exposure to different managing styles - I have worked with different managers. And I have enjoyed working with each one of them, and observing their similarities, as well as their differences. As a consultant, I have sometimes found myself, a sounding board to managers, which is a privilege in itself

Getting to grow my skills – Before I became a consultant, I only knew Excel and Centive. After I became a consultant, I learned Xactly and Varicent. And I learned how to do implementations. I was able to flex my writing and communication skills on FRDs, User Guides, Prototype demos and more. My Excel proficiency also increased by leaps and bounds - to include Advanced Filters , Sumifs, formulas such as Match and Index and Indirect. I also learned and started using over 20 Excel macros 

Getting golden opportunities  - After I started consulting, some unexpected golden opportunities came my way. Such as getting to work on White Papers. One of my clients sponsored me for an all expenses paid Varicent training program in Canada. And I got to work on implementations for some high-profile companies such as Splunk, FusionIo, Lynda.com and Cyberonics

Getting to deliver extra value – A consultant is in a unique position to deliver extra value. As a consultant, I have been able to deliver value outside of the scope of my client's expectations.  For example, I routinely document the commission processes on every assignment. I do not believe I would have been able to do this as an employed Commissions Analyst. It would have been outside the scope of my job, and it would have appeared to team members, I was trying to make them look bad.

Getting to coach, train, and mentor – There are those who like to do, and those who like to do and teach, and I am in the second group. I thrive every time I have the opportunity to transfer what is in my mind to someone else's mind. Whether it is teaching someone how to do their taxes on Turbotax.  Or giving Money workshops to GATE students.  In my role as a 'transition commissions analyst', I have to typically hand the baton to someone. My process has been to write a document, and teach from that document. I have done this at multiple companies.  Some of my best friends are people who I have had to pass on my knowledge to (do KT as they say in India) in such a way

There’s more.

Whenever I feel sad an assignment is coming to an end, I have a further list of things I remind myself about….

I remind myself of the freedom, which is such a basic human need, we will risk our lives for it.

I remind myself of the repetitiveness, boredom and burnout I have avoided.

I remind myself of the footprint I have been able to leave at different companies; the documents and tools I have created, the bonds I have forged.

I remind myself it’s more empowering to choose change than to have change imposed on me.

I remind myself of the demand for what I do; when that demand stops, I will stop consulting.

I remind myself being self-employed has only improved my competitiveness and my value proposition.

I remind myself my services are ideal for companies with variable cost business models, or companies in a jam.

I remind myself, I never have to feel threatened or vulnerable in any assignment, because of being, not an incumbent in danger of being dislodged, but a temporary contributor whose services have a definite end date.

I remind myself of the autonomy. You know how much I like autonomy.

I remind myself how consulting saves me from office politics.

I remind myself of other things I have been spared of: performance reviews, forms to fill, surveys to fill out, and so on, and so on.

I remind myself, my work never costs me my life; if I feel overwhelmed on an assignment, I speak up. I say “This is all I can do (core commission work).”Typically, I will be given additional help.

I like opportunities to find out the truth. I can quickly identify gaps I need to fill, or the company needs to fill.

I remind myself, how I am able to increase my competitiveness without competing. If there is a team, I will cheerfully take on the tasks that are invisible, and the tasks that no one else wants to do, and then, see what I can do, to make those tasks less dreary, more manageable. I have learned to customize my skills and services to meet the customer’s need of the hour (and by customer, I mean not just the manager, but the whole team, if there is a team).

I remind myself of how much more adaptable and agile consulting has made me. I enjoy being a hero (of sorts); jumping in to help out a company when they are in crisis. I enjoy opportunities to apply critical thinking and problem solving. By having to prove myself in a new environment, I have the opportunity to reaffirm my skills and value.

I continuously tweak my value proposition.  I arrived at the proposition of being “A transition commission consultant who helps companies who are in a transition between people, or tools” and the promise, “I will be here as long as you want me, and no longer than you want me” 2 years ago. They have served me well.

I like being extended at companies. Extensions are proof I am delivering value.

I believe the existence of Linkedin will continue to bring me future consulting assignments.  Time will tell if I am right.

Meanwhile, I sincerely believe, being a consultant is better suited to the complexity, volatility, and uncertainty of today’s economic and business environment.

Above all, I remind myself, safety, security and benefits (the promises of employment) are not what they are cracked up to be. In fact, I will even go as far as to call them fool’s gold, and say “Bah Humbug”.

Confidence, competence, ever expanding skills and horizons, plus an ever expanding network of people in Commissions and Sales Compensation – What’s not to like?

Yes, I’ve resisted the Easy Money of Employment for The Hard Money of Being a Consultant. 

And now you know all the reasons why.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks for the feedback, (comments, likes, shares) on my recent posts, 10 Things I Don't Miss About The Old Me At All, The 25 Things Which Have Made the Biggest  Difference to My Health, Wealth, Comfort and Happiness, What I Learned I Could Live Without, and How I Went From a Girlie Girl to a Strong, Independent Woman.  I appreciate the affirmations that I am on the right track from old friends like Ajay and Suresh, and newer friends like Krysia and Ramani.

NEXT, Thanks to all readers, current and future, for sharing my Journey to Wisdom, Meaning and a Better Life.  Like you, I am trying to find my way through this complex maze we call life, and I am honored to have you share my journey, as I continue to seek the wisdom hidden in plain sight.

FINALLY, A Happy Birthday shout-out:  to those with November birthdays.  Hope you use your birthday month to try the hard road to getting to some place more fulfilling. Please don't ever think you are too young or too old to switch tracks, and please don’t put off change for a future date.  Every day lost is a day lost to living a richer, more vibrant and more fulfilling life.

P.S. Not sure if you have time, but if you do, you may enjoy reading these other posts:

Friendships

The United States of Friendship – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6,Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12

Family

Our Cake Boss Family, Family Songs, The Nightdress Brigade, Family Advice I Am Grateful For, The Porki And Bonkers Tradition, No Need for 23 and Me,Letters to Lucas, Flying Lessons

Pets

A Fresh Perspective on Pets, Secrets of The Super Models In Our Family,BowWow, Meoww, Why You Should Not Abandon Your Pet

Nature

Post on Trees, Reprising Joy Kilmer

Hobbies

Cricket, Glorious Cricket, Splendid Post, What!

Managing Your Money

Yoga for Investors, How to Turn Your Girl Scout or Cub Scout Into a Stock Scout, Financial Piece of Mind, Financial Piece of Mind – Part Deux, A Retirement Planning Formula You Won’t Find on Oprah

Simplifying Your Life

You know what Wesabi is, How About Wabi Sabi?  The Simple Life, The Element of Simplicity and Its Hope for Living a More Satisfying Life

Getting Over Your Self-Consciousness

The Element of Release From Inhibition, The Element of Being Less Self-Centered and Its Hope for Seeing Things in The Correct Light, The Element of Getting Out of Our Comfort Zone and Its Hope For Experiencing More of What Life Has to Offer

Learning to Laugh

How To Deal With The Sheldon Coopers in Your Life – Part 1, Part 2, Part 3,Part 4, The Nightdress Brigade, You Aced the SAT, How About the LAT?, How To Cause Atmost Confuzen at the Scripps Spelling Bee, How To Go From Madonna to Lilly to Myrtle in The Course of A Single Evening - And Even Have a Sex Change, A Facebook Face-Off, A Short Stint in Advertising

Learning to Relax

How To Become a Low Maintenance Person, Connected Minds, How To Become The Kind of Person People Want to Work with, How Many Times a Day Do You Visit Ireland? The Art of Carrying Things Lightly

Health

Raising the Bar, 4 Healthy Eating Ideas I Learned from My Friend Julia, The Element of Becoming More Focused and Precise In Our Goals and Its Hope for Achieving Powerful Results

Pursuing A Dream

What’s Next For You? The Element of The First Step and Its Hope for Getting Big Things Started In Our Lives, She Victories, Why I Am Not Afraid To Call The Good Old Days The Bad Old Days