Spherical Cow Consulting Archives
“Why don’t they just quit?”
Posted on November 13, 2022 Leave a Comment
The Great Myth of Job Portability The news these days is full of announcements about massive layoffs. There are stories about the people left “holding the bag” at companies that are, by all reports, purely toxic workplaces. I’ve seen the sentiment, “why would _anyone_ stay there? They should all quit! That’ll show those horrible bosses […]
It’s a Wrap! Keeping Track of What You Learn From Your Clients
Posted on August 29, 2022 Leave a Comment
As a freelancer, do you ever stop and write down what you learned from a project as it closes? What made working on that effort awesome? What do you want to make sure you never have to deal with again? Project managers often (but not always!) include a “lessons learned” exercise at the conclusion of […]
Embracing the Uncomfortable
Posted on March 5, 2022 Leave a Comment
Over the last few weeks, I’ve been exploring social media in entirely new ways. I’ve learned a few things along the way: 1) I have a long way to go to use hashtags effectively, 2) my video processing skills are laughable, 3) I feel ridiculous on TikTok. So, why am I spending so much time […]
Can a Freelancer Actually Have a Side Gig?
Posted on February 17, 2022 Leave a Comment
Why yes, yes she can. And in my case, that side gig is something I’ve been working on with my friend Laura Paglione since July of last year. Who knew it could take so many months to get a ‘simple’ idea off the ground? This all started when I threw open the virtual doors to […]
Where Did All the Energy Go? Working with Volunteers
Posted on June 21, 2021 Leave a Comment
Have you ever noticed how many people, at least in Western cultures, think money is kinda dirty? That there is some kind of nobility about working towards a greater good without monetary compensation? An idea that people spend time on only because they believe it is good, fun, or otherwise meets some kind of intrinsic […]
But There’s No Pressure: Organizing and Facilitating a Virtual Workshop
Posted on June 4, 2021 Leave a Comment
Earlier this year, a team within Google reached out to me for advice on engaging with the people in the IAM field who would give them the feedback they needed to progress their WebID project. Since WebID is all about federated identity on the web — one of my favorite topics — and the engagement would let […]
Be Brave. Say No.
Posted on April 16, 2021 Leave a Comment
Being a freelancer, while not for everyone, is my idea of a fantastic career. I get to build my ideal job. I get to see the big picture across organizations and even entire industries. I get to interact with some of the most brilliant people on the planet. But to have room for all of […]
WFH – everything I hoped it would be (almost)
Posted on April 14, 2020 2 Comments
[Updated: 27 August 2020, now that #wfh has lasted for months, and will likely continue for many through to the middle of next year.] Someone asked on a call back in April when we all were digging into our #wfh experience, “Is everyone busier than ever with all this working from home? My response was, […]
