When Life Intrudes
when life intrudes

Been out of the office a bit lately, getting a new left knee.  (See it above, side and front views — doesn’t it look bionic?)  Normally this would just be one of those things in life that you have to take care of, but when you are in business for yourself, taking time off for things like this takes on new meaning.  There is no “sick time” when you work for yourself, no vacation time you can tap.  There is just a hole in your calendar where you could be billing if you weren’t in so much pain! 

Thus, one of the biggest lessons in  running your own consulting business — saving money well, and having a backup plan!  I have been anticipating this knee replacement since last summer when I decided to do it.  I carefully orchestrated my surgery with my clients so that I was finishing up with several key projects before I went under the knife (or in reality, the saw!)   I also squirreled away money for several months of living in case business was slow when I returned.  

When my daughter was young  and my parents were ill, I had agreements with several other trusted consultants that I could call them at the last minute to sub for me.  Several times I even paid them to sit around and wait for my call if I was expecting something to happen but did now know exactly when.  I always informed my clients about the possibilities in those instances and got their agreement in advance.  Only once did I actually have to execute my back-up plans — and because we were all so well prepared,  it went very smoothly.  The client was still happy, my colleague got some extra work, and I was able to breathe easy knowing they were well-served. 

So my question for all of you is — who are your “go-to” people if an emergency would strike?  If you can’t answer that question quickly, start thinking about your own back-up plan.  After all, life doesn’t intrude — its just life! 

Cathy Perme is the co-owner of Perme & Peterson Associates, LLC.

Fizz by Cathy Perme

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Fizz! How to Succeed as an Independent Consultant author Cathy Perme also wrote Confucius in My Cubicle: Practical Wisdom for the Leader in All of Us, released by Wisdom Editions in 2017.

rich set of suggestions
Cathy 's marketing and selling background makes for a rich set of suggestions for getting business and building one ’s brand. I think it
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Barbara A Tuckner
Cathy's marketing and selling background makes for a rich set of suggestions for getting business and building one’s brand. I think it is rare for an independent consultant to "give away" so much of their business engine and expertise. That adds up to a heap of generosity; something that is remarkable in the "friendly" competitive consulting world.
rich set of suggestions
Barbara A Tuckner
down to earth and practical
Down-to-earth, practical, and provides plenty of tools to use to develop your independent consulting business. Cathy takes a constructive look at how to succeed by ...
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Meghan Jost
Down-to-earth, practical, and provides plenty of tools to use to develop your independent consulting business. Cathy takes a constructive look at how to succeed by intelligently marketing yourself, engaging others, and keeping it all in balance with your personal life.
down to earth and practical
Meghan Jost
dozens of ideas
Cathy gives dozens of ideas about networking effectively, making sales calls and using social media and she doesn ’t minimize the effort that has
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NES
Cathy gives dozens of ideas about networking effectively, making sales calls and using social media and she doesn’t minimize the effort that has to go into it. It’s a reality check for anyone who thinks they can just hang up their shingle and become a consultant, but a great guide for anyone who’s willing to put in the hard work to be a success.
dozens of ideas
NES
from a to z
Cathy will take you from point A to Z on how to successfully become an independent consultant.
Charles Bever
Cathy will take you from point A to Z on how to successfully become an independent consultant.
from a to z
Charles Bever
methodical steps
For those that take the leap, Cathy's methodical steps will surely be helpful in achieving success.
Kevin Walsh
For those that take the leap, Cathy's methodical steps will surely be helpful in achieving success.
methodical steps
Kevin Walsh
recommend to anyone
I recommend to anyone starting a business.
Patricia Jayne Keefer
I recommend to anyone starting a business.
recommend to anyone
Patricia Jayne Keefer
years of lessons
Cathy shares years of lessons and a broad breadth of practical consulting and business experience in a very clear and engaging guide for starting and ...
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Ted Clark
Cathy shares years of lessons and a broad breadth of practical consulting and business experience in a very clear and engaging guide for starting and developing a successful consulting company. Highly recommended.
years of lessons
Ted Clark
I appreciate Cathy sharing
I appreciate Cathy sharing what she ’s learned over the past 30 years about how to succeed as an independent consultant. Her advice is
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Amy Brown
I appreciate Cathy sharing what she’s learned over the past 30 years about how to succeed as an independent consultant. Her advice is straight forward, thoughtful, organized, and easy to follow.
I appreciate Cathy sharing
Amy Brown
Learning Experience Face
This has been a truly learning experience and has helped me grow both personally and professionally.
Anonymous
This has been a truly learning experience and has helped me grow both personally and professionally.
Learning Experience Face
Anonymous
drove to closure horse
Took a very complicated and dynamic set of realities and personalities, surfaced underlying issues, facilitated a robust and healthy interaction, and drove the process to ...
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Anonymous
Took a very complicated and dynamic set of realities and personalities, surfaced underlying issues, facilitated a robust and healthy interaction, and drove the process to closure and action.
drove to closure horse
Anonymous

Cathy Perme