Advise required - Pushing 40 and new to contracting

[WestHammer]

Ladies/Gents

Thanks a lot for taking the time out to share your thoughts.

Have reviewed most of your comments and it is clear that I have more thinking & researching to do. Will reach out to those of you who have offered additional help. In addition, I am also going to seek out a few contractor friends and get their inputs on planning, strategy etc.

Cheers

[northernladuk]

Ladies/Gents

Thanks a lot for taking the time out to share your thoughts.

Have reviewed most of your comments and it is clear that I have more thinking & researching to do. Will reach out to those of you who have offered additional help. In addition, I am also going to seek out a few contractor friends and get their inputs on planning, strategy etc.

Cheers

Take their word with a bit of caution. Friends may be tempted to paint a rosier picture and tell you what you want to hear and may not want to give you advice that appears negative or not what you want to hear.

[SueEllen]

Take their word with a bit of caution. Friends may be tempted to paint a rosier picture and tell you what you want to hear and may not want to give you advice that appears negative or not what you want to hear.

To be fair WestHammer's friends may give appropriate advice but WestHammer may not hear them or be able to work out the market has changed since his/her friends' went contracting.

It's also worth talking to other friends who run small businesses in different markets particularly if they deal with clients without any intermediatories. As while lots of contracts come through agencies, some contractors deal with clients directly.