Then we will meet at this Saturday's Installfest at Noon to discuss employee owned IT consulting groups for small and medium businesses. Gerold Knapp wrote: > I would definitely be interested in participating in said discussion. > It sounds like something that would be discussed down at GangPlank. > I just started going last week after the postings on this list and it is > pretty darned interesting. > > This is an intriguing idea! > > Ed > > > On 8/20/09 8:37 PM, "Trent Shipley" wrote: > >> The major downside being that it involves getting up on a Saturday morning. >> >> Where are Installfests being held these days? What is the last Saturday >> in August 2009? Installfests last for several hours, so when would we >> want to start the consulting co-op discussion? >> >> Jason Spatafore wrote: >>> Sounds like a good discussion to take place during the next Installfest >>> since there's really no "agendas" at those. Plus, you may find those >>> "diamonds in the rough" of people that may be able to enlighten you on >>> the actual need in the market for such a venture. >>> >>> >>> On Thu, 2009-08-20 at 19:40 -0700, Eric Shubert wrote: >>>> I agree Trent. I'd be interested in hashing it over. >>>> >>>> Trent Shipley wrote: >>>>> I just finished the Master of Science in Information Management at ASU. >>>>> I guess there's nothing wrong with hiring a junior level JOAT to run >>>>> LAMP, and there's certainly nothing wrong with doing this early in your >>>>> career. The main downside is that unless the customer/employer gets >>>>> VERY lucky, they won't get the expert service a large firm would get >>>>> through specialization. In theory what these little companies should do >>>>> is outsource the IT department. This is especially true of non-profits >>>>> and small government departments where IT isn't strategic. Outsourcing >>>>> is more problematic for something like a b2c business where the IT is >>>>> strategic. Then you need a way to reconquer IT if your company grows. >>>>> >>>>> What this indicates is a need for professional, multi-disciplinary IT >>>>> consulting targeting small and medium sized businesses, non-profits, and >>>>> government units. The big guys don't want it. You can charge enough >>>>> and the meals are too small. The little guys, like Red7 and Data >>>>> Doctors, started as repair shops and may have trouble getting into the >>>>> consultant/contractor rent-an-IT-department mindset. >>>>> >>>>> I think there's definitely an itch here. I think it would be fun to get >>>>> together and discuss it. I'm thinking maybe a professional cooperative >>>>> as an organizational structure. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Michael Butash wrote: >>>>>> In my experience in big enterprise to small offices, either you have >>>>>> "the dude that kinda dabbles with everything", or you have quite >>>>>> separate roles. Primarily you would have a SQL Admin/Engineer (just sql >>>>>> performance/operations/engineering), Linux Engineer (os, apache, sql), >>>>>> and a Web Dev/Admin/Engineer (php coding, cms, site management). >>>>>> Usually you also have Security and Network folk in the mix too to keep >>>>>> things sane. Sometimes you have one person that likes to dabble in >>>>>> each, and can varyingly admin them all as so to *get by*, but they're >>>>>> subsequently "jack of all trades", and typically "master of none" kind >>>>>> of people. >>>>>> >>>>>> Finding an environment where you can "dabble" professionally in >>>>>> everything is typically going to be a low-pay, thankless job I would >>>>>> say, as a company wants 1 person to do *everything*, but will pay low >>>>>> because they don't know what they really need. They're often trying to >>>>>> find their magical unicorn employee that will do everything for little >>>>>> pay. Government agencies tend to be fond of these roles, but pay low >>>>>> enough they really have no expectation of finding someone close, so they >>>>>> settle for the closest that will actually apply. They learn and cope as >>>>>> they can, and move on once they pick one of those skills to focus on in >>>>>> bigger companies that have already learned the value of the separate >>>>>> skill sets among employees. >>>>>> >>>>>> -mb >>>>> >>>>> >> --------------------------------------------------- >> PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us >> To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: >> http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >> > > > --------------------------------------------------- > PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us > To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: > http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > > > --------------------------------------------------- PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change your mail settings: http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss