_blog
shifted paradigm #2: partners 03/12/08
Here's another paradigm I want to shift: I'm not going to hire employees, no matter how big my company gets.
I believe that by bringing in strategic partners on a project-by-project basis, instead of hiring people on an exclusive, long-term basis, several benefits are achieved
First, the people who do work with me will be free to pursue other interests and projects as they see fit. This will help them to develop the skill sets they want to develop, as opposed to those that I want them do develop. It will also help them make as little or as much money as they want (and work as little or as much as they want). Finally, it will help them ultimately achieve the same thing I have: the freedom and contentment that comes from working for yourself.
Second, this strategy will significantly benefit clients. It will limit overhead to only the bare necessities for any given project, keeping prices as low as possible. And the absence of "water cooler talk" and set-in-stone work hours will make us all more productive.
Finally, this should increase the overall quality of the work that we produce. By bringing in different people on a project-by-project basis, I can bring in people who are especially skilled at whatever is required for a particular project.
In the end, the truth is that I like working at home. A lot. I want to continue to eat lunch with my family every day. I want to continue to work when I want and play when I want. In many ways, that's the new American Dream. And I'm going to protect it.
Besides, my home isn't nearly big enough to have other people work here.