Ducking and Diving

Its now the 9th of Jan and I'm getting quickly back into the swing of things. Last year was a roller coaster; setting up the business, getting out there and getting work and then getting the work done. I definately developed a speech impediment last year...I just could not say no to offers of work!!

Looking back, the chaos of 2007 was good and I was pretty productive. I managed to work for 6 different firms covering the voluntary, statutory and private sectors. I also managed to work for one on a pro-bono basis (that means my speech impediment kicked in and I said yes to the work even though they couldn't pay me). If anything, the pro-bono client was the most interesting and in some ways, the most challenging. I suggest you limit these to one a year!!

This year I'm hoping to be more deliberate and more strategic (but I still have that speech impediment). For now I've kept it simple and I just need a phone, laptop and I get emails via my Yahoo account but in the next few months I hope to move to a Limited Company for the added legal protection and window dressing this offers potential clients. I'm also developing a website with a help of a family member and have started this blog, which feels good, but in reality is like writing and essay and leaving it on a window ledge for passers by to read.

I'm begining to appreciate the freedom of being a freelance consultant and, despite the uncertainty, I'm looking forward to this year which is shaping up as follows:

• I have been asked to sit on a prisons policy forum at the Centre for Policy Studies (London)
• My advice has been sought by the shadow justice minister (we met and had tea at the house of commons!!) Who knows, I may even get some work out of this.....
• I'm waiting to hear the result of 2 possible contract engagements, one short term and one long term.
• I am exploring the practicalities of setting up a Day Programme in Henley where I live with a partner agency called Nomad
• I continue to be retained by 2 clients from last year (hopefully until March 2008) and also have a couple of project 'follow ups' to do from last year

The strategic plan is to hustle, duck and dive my way through the year and to develop my business to its full potential. To have some laughs along the way, enjoy the company of old friends and make some new friends, take a couple of holidays and attend as many of my children's school functions as possible so that I can have lots of ammo to embarras them with when and if they get married, or graduate or have a 21st birthday!!!!

In the meantime, I must get back to work but do hope you enjoyed the ramble.

Speak soon

Huseyin Djemil
The Good Consultant

The Good Consultant, getting started......

As a first time blogger I'm not quite sure what to do first so its probably best to introduce myself.

My name is Huseyin Djemil, and I've spent the last 15 years working in the UK drug treatment sector. In June of 2007 I decided to leave full time employment as a Civil Servant at the Home Office to become a freelance consultant within the drug treatment field, hence the cheesy title of this blog.

Consulting and the whole Freelance thing is something I've wanted to do for a while and I hoped I could do it on the side in order to build up a business that I could jump into later on. Life never seems to work out as planned and I left a well paid job, with a months pay in lieu and went Freelance.

Its been a roller coaster 6-months, during which time I have questioned (almost daily) my decision to leave the comfort of a well paid and senior management position to become a self employed, 'one man band'.

Despite the fear its also been quite an amazing time. I have found enough work to get by and have just about got the memory of my daily commute into London behind me. I no longer have to endure the 2.5hr trip into the Home Office at Marsham Street and now work out of my own small 'home office' which is approx. 25 steps from my bedroom!

For the first time in ages, I've had the whole of Christmas off this year and spent quality time with the family, attending all the school plays and activities that my sons have been involved in. I hardly use my car any more and am even considering giving it up as it hardly seems worth keeping it taxed, insured and maintained for such random use.

I have enough work on the books for January, and possibly February too. I've just packed smoking in (as of tonight) and am deciding, literally as I write this, to use this blog to chart my progress, experiences and any ups and downs as a freelance consultant during the coming year.

I hope I can keep writing as the weeks and months trickle by and I hope that if you read this, you will find some thing of interest during the coming year.