Established
You're well established. You're looking to take it the next level, which may include subcontractors, employees, or creating other sources of revenue.
Being a Business
| Title | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| What/Who is a Professional Independent Consultant? | As we go to market or talk about ourselves, we need to convey three key elements. This article explains what they are and offers suggestions to help you "walk the talk". | |
| 2-minute video: Why Friends Don't Let Friends W-2 | Be sure you understand why it's better for you as a self-employed professional to be paid on a 1099 tax basis instead of a W-2 tax basis. | |
| Tax Status: 1099 vs. W-2 | How you are paid by clients impacts how you pay your taxes, along with how much tax you owe. This article explains why being paid on a 1099 tax basis is a huge plus. | |
| Temporary Employee vs. Independent Contractor | Whether you call yourself a consultant, contractor, or freelancer, the only status that matters is how you are classified and paid. Be sure you understand the various labels and terms so you know how to position yourself for success. | |
| Beware of Staffing Agencies | Understanding why third-party firms are usually bad for consultants is crucial. They can cost you money, even if you're paid on a 1099 tax basis. Be informed and improve your profitability! | |
| One Easy Step to a Professional Image | If you're using a personal email account for business, you're making a mistake. This blog by PICA's Chief Advocate explains why and how to easily fix it. | |
| Business Insurance | What you're likely to need and what clients often require; get familiar with the 10 most common types. | |
| Business Structure: Sole-Proprietor, LLC, Corporation or Other? | Understand the benefits and tradeoffs of the three most common business structures for consultants in terms of liability, taxes, ease of use and client perception. |
As we go to market or talk about ourselves, we need to convey three key elements. This article explains what they are and offers suggestions to help you "walk the talk."
Be sure you understand why it's better for you as a self-employed professional to be paid on a 1099 tax basis instead of a W-2 tax basis.
How you are paid by clients impacts how you pay your taxes, along with how much tax you owe. This article explains why being paid on a 1099 tax basis is a huge plus.
Whether you call yourself a consultant, contractor, or freelancer, the only status that matters is how you are classified and paid. Be sure you understand the various labels and terms so you know how to position yourself for success.
Understanding why third-party firms are usually bad for consultants is crucial. They can cost you money, even if you're paid on a 1099 tax basis. Be informed and improve your profitability!
If you're using a personal email account for business, you're making a mistake. This blog by PICA's Chief Advocate explains why and how to easily fix it.
What you're likely to need and what clients often require; get familiar with the 10 most common types.
Understand the benefits and tradeoffs of the three most common business structures for consultants in terms of liability, taxes, ease of use and client perception.
Branding and Marketing
| Title | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| What/Who is a Professional Independent Consultant? | As we go to market or talk about ourselves, we need to convey three key elements. This article explains what they are and offers suggestions to help you "walk the talk". | |
| Temporary Employee vs. Independent Contractor | Whether you call yourself a consultant, contractor, or freelancer, the only status that matters is how you are classified and paid. Be sure you understand the various labels and terms so you know how to position yourself for success. | |
| Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile for Independent Consulting | Your LinkedIn profile is your #1 marketing tool since 95% of your potential clients will view it. Learn how to make the most of it! | |
| Be a Pro: Eliminate the Gray Square on Your LinkedIn Profile! | As an independent consultant running your own business, good marketing is critical. By not showing an image or logo, you're missing an opportunity to make a positive first impression. | |
| Use Work Samples to Seal the Deal | PICA's Chief Advocate explains how to use samples to demystify what you do to help you win the work. |
As we go to market or talk about ourselves, we need to convey three key elements. This article explains what they are and offers suggestions to help you "walk the talk".
Whether you call yourself a consultant, contractor, or freelancer, the only status that matters is how you are classified and paid. Be sure you understand the various labels and terms so you know how to position yourself for success.
Your LinkedIn profile is your #1 marketing tool since 95% of your potential clients will view it. Learn how to make the most of it!
PICA's Chief Advocate explains how to use samples to demystify what you do to help you win the work.
No matter how you price your services and expertise, confidence is key. PICA's Chief Advocate offers tips and advice.
Business Development
| Title | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Tap into Consulting's Secret Club to Help Grow Your Business | Successful consultants follow an unspoken code. PICA's Chief Advocate lets you in on the secret. | |
| Shift Your Perspective to Make Business Development Easier | Most consultants struggle with business development. A simple shift in thinking can make this easier. | |
| Build Credibility as a Consultant with Success Stories | Use short stories or mini case studies to build your credibility before you've ever even had a conversation with a prospective client. | |
| Business Development = Relationship Development | Business development does not equal sales. Be sure you understand the difference! This article by PICA's Chief Advocate includes seven tricks for making it easier. | |
| How Diligent Biz Dev Led to a Six-Figure Consulting Project | Building your business takes time and diligence. This article by PICA's Chief Advocate explains how she landed a $400,000 project, and shares her lessons learned. |
Successful consultants follow an unspoken code. PICA's Chief Advocate lets you in on the secret.
Most consultants struggle with business development. A simple shift in thinking can make this easier.
Business development does not equal sales. Be sure you understand the difference! This article by PICA's Chief Advocate includes seven tricks for making it easier.
Building your business takes time and diligence. This article by PICA's Chief Advocate explains how she landed a $400,000 project, and shares her lessons learned.
Profit and Taxes
| Title | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Tax Status: 1099 vs. W-2 | How you are paid by clients impacts how you pay your taxes, along with how much tax you owe. This article explains why being paid on a 1099 tax basis is a huge plus. |
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| Temporary Employee vs. Independent Contractor | For the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), there are only two types of workers: employee (either temporary or full-time) and independent contractor. This gets confusing because the term "contractor" often means working through an agency and/or doing lower level work. Make sure you know the meaning of the various terms. |
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| Self Employed? Lower Your Tax Bill! | This article by PICA's Chief Advocate answers the question, "As a business owner, what can I do to lower my tax bill?" |
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| Common Tax Deductions for Independent Consultants | The more deductions you have, the less tax you have to pay. This is a list of the most common deductions as well as practical tips for tracking them. |
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| Use a Health Savings Account (HSA) to Save Money | An HSA is not the same as an FSA (Flexible Spending Account). Understand the differences and why an HAS is an excellent option for saving money for both the short term and long term. |
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| The SEP-IRA and Solo 401(k): Your Secret Sauce for Building Wealth | As self-employed professional we have better retirement plan options than when we were employees. Understand why they're better and some of the trade-offs between the two most common options. |
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| Business Structure: sole-proprietor, LLC, corporation or other? | Understand the benefits and tradeoffs of the three most common business structures for consultants in terms of liability, taxes, ease of use and client perception. |
How you are paid by clients impacts how you pay your taxes, along with how much tax you owe. This article explains why being paid on a 1099 tax basis is a huge plus.
For the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), there are only two types of workers: employee (either temporary or full-time) and independent contractor. This gets confusing because the term "contractor" often means working through an agency and/or doing lower level work. Make sure you know the meaning of the various terms.
This article by PICA's Chief Advocate answers the question, "As a business owner, what can I do to lower my tax bill?"
The more deductions you have, the less tax you have to pay. This is a list of the most common deductions as well as practical tips for tracking them.
An HSA is not the same as an FSA (Flexible Spending Account). Understand the differences and why an HAS is an excellent option for saving money for both the short term and long term.
As self-employed professional we have better retirement plan options than when we were employees. Understand why they're better and some of the trade-offs between the two most common options.
Understand the benefits and tradeoffs of the three most common business structures for consultants in terms of liability, taxes, ease of use and client perception
Vendor Compliance
| Title | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Common Law Guidelines for Contractor vs Employee | Understanding the U.S. government’s common law guidelines will help you position your consulting practice as an independent business. |
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| Temporary Employee vs. Independent Contractor | Whether you call yourself a consultant, contractor, or freelancer, the only status that really matters is how you are classified and paid by your client. Be sure you understand the various labels and terms. | |
| 20 Questions to Qualify as an Independent Contractor | Most vendor compliance processes are based on a 20-point checklist established by the IRS to determine a worker’s status. This impacts how you are paid -- on a 1099 tax basis or a W-2. Understanding the intent behind these questions will help you answer them as an independent business so you can preserve your 1099 status. | |
| Red Flags When Being Set Up as a Vendor | Be careful when contracting with larger clients. Know the warning signs so you don't get ushered down the W-2 payment path. | |
| Beware of Staffing Agencies | Like a wolf in sheep's clothing, staffing agencies promise to relieve independent consultants of arduous tasks like prospecting, billing, and paying quarterly taxes. These"benefits" come at a significant price. | |
| Preparing for a Compliance Process | Independent consultants are usually screened to determine if they qualify as an independent contractor. This process is intended to mitigate co-employment risk for the client, and it determines how the consultant will be hired and paid. |
Understanding the U.S. government’s common law guidelines will help you position your consulting practice as an independent business.
Whether you call yourself a consultant, contractor, or freelancer, the only status that really matters is how you are classified and paid by your client. Be sure you understand the various labels and terms.
Most vendor compliance processes are based on a 20-point checklist established by the IRS to determine a worker’s status. This impacts how you are paid -- on a 1099 tax basis or a W-2. Understanding the intent behind these questions will help you answer them as an independent business so you can preserve your 1099 status.
Be careful when contracting with larger clients. Know the warning signs so you don't get ushered down the W-2 payment path.
Like a wolf in sheep's clothing, staffing agencies promise to relieve independent consultants of arduous tasks like prospecting, billing, and paying quarterly taxes. These"benefits" come at a significant price.
Independent consultants are usually screened to determine if they qualify as an independent contractor. This process is intended to mitigate co-employment risk for the client, and it determines how the consultant will be hired and paid.
Legal and Contracting
| Title | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Alert: Court Ruling Makes Independent Contracting More Difficult: What to Do | As a self-employed consultant, it's getting harder to qualify as an independent contractor, especially in light of the California Supreme Court's April 2018 ruling. Find out what you need to do to maintain your 1099 tax status. | |
| What/Who is a Professional Independent Consultant? | As we go to market or talk about ourselves, we need to convey three key elements. This article explains what they are and offers suggestions to help you "walk the talk". | |
| 2-minute video: Why Friends Don't Let Friends W-2 | Be sure you understand why it's better for you as a self-employed professional to be paid on a 1099 tax basis instead of a W-2 tax basis. | |
| Tax Status: 1099 vs. W-2 | How you are paid by clients impacts how you pay your taxes, along with how much tax you owe. This article explains why being paid on a 1099 tax basis is a huge plus. | |
| Temporary Employee vs. Independent Contractor | Whether you call yourself a consultant, contractor, or freelancer, the only status that matters is how you are classified and paid. Be sure you understand the various labels and terms so you know how to position yourself for success. | |
| Beware of Staffing Agencies | Understanding why third-party firms are usually bad for consultants is crucial. They can cost you money, even if you're paid on a 1099 tax basis. Be informed and improve your profitability! | |
| What to Do If Your Client Doesn't Pay | This article by PICA's Chief Advocate explains how to collect payment without hiring a lawyer. | |
| The ABC's of Contracting | LOA, MSA, PSA, SOW, NDA, SLAs — Learn about the basic contract types and when/how to use them; understand what various contract elements like indemnification mean; get tips on how to use the contracting process to your advantage. | |
| Contracting Carefully: Things to Look Out For | Regardless of who writes the agreement, know what language to include, exclude, watch out for, and negotiate to protect your interests. |
As a self-employed consultant, it's getting harder to qualify as an independent contractor, especially in light of the California Supreme Court's April 2018 ruling. Find out what you need to do to maintain your 1099 tax status.
As we go to market or talk about ourselves, we need to convey three key elements. This article explains what they are and offers suggestions to help you "walk the talk".
Be sure you understand why it's better for you as a self-employed professional to be paid on a 1099 tax basis instead of a W-2 tax basis.
How you are paid by clients impacts how you pay your taxes, along with how much tax you owe. This article explains why being paid on a 1099 tax basis is a huge plus.
Whether you call yourself a consultant, contractor, or freelancer, the only status that matters is how you are classified and paid. Be sure you understand the various labels and terms so you know how to position yourself for success.
Understanding why third-party firms are usually bad for consultants is crucial. They can cost you money, even if you're paid on a 1099 tax basis. Be informed and improve your profitability!
This article by PICA's Chief Advocate explains how to collect payment without hiring a lawyer.
LOA, MSA, PSA, SOW, NDA, SLAs — Learn about the basic contract types and when/how to use them; understand what various contract elements like indemnification mean; get tips on how to use the contracting process to your advantage.
Regardless of who writes the agreement, know what language to include, exclude, watch out for, and negotiate to protect your interests.