Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?
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@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
One thing is system management. It would be nice to have monitoring tools to warn me of simple things like drive space filling up, or backups that didn't run, or new software that is installed.
I'm guessing that this question is premature. Let's start with what your OTHER business is going to be. Then figure out how to fit the old one into the picture. What are you going to be, an MSP?
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Once again, this place sounds like a terrible place to work lol
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@IRJ said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
If I pull back my hours by 15 or 20, I will likely go 1099 and work as a contractor but lose any benefits. I make a little over $20/hr now but I'd be able to raise my rate as a self-employed contractor. So that is my first big decision:
- How can I calculate a contract rate, taking in to account lost benefits and other things? How much am I worth to make my part time hours a better option than hiring another full time tech? I don't want to charge so much that I cost just as much as a part time contractor as I did as a full time employee, so there is a fine balance here to make it worth it for both myself and the company. It needs to save them money, but also be worth for me to take half my time as self-employed.
I would say even $30/hr is on the low side as a contractor, but $20 would be insanely low.
Contracting normally pays MUCH more than full time. Remember that you have to pay all of your own taxes, have to bill them, have to wait on them to pay you, risk them not paying you (no employee protections), risk them paying you whatever they want and refusing to pay the agreed upon amount, etc. Instead of getting benefits, you have to pay a CPA, pay double taxes and so forth.
Now because you are the one initiating this, you can't get normal rates here. But $35/hr seems like a good number. They save quite a bit, you lose a little, but it's somewhere in the middle.
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@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
So what advice do you have for moving full time W-2 to part time 1099?
Never do it!
In your case, it's not that you are moving from W-2 to 1099, it's that the 1099 will go to the new company that you work for and THEY pay you as a W-2.
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@scottalanmiller said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
One thing is system management. It would be nice to have monitoring tools to warn me of simple things like drive space filling up, or backups that didn't run, or new software that is installed.
I'm guessing that this question is premature. Let's start with what your OTHER business is going to be. Then figure out how to fit the old one into the picture. What are you going to be, an MSP?
Not an MSP, I'm doing freelance web dev work and will probably start some additional businesses like an online store or sell on Amazon and stuff like that. I'll continue offering local IT services like break/fix but will mainly focus on freelance. Essentially I'll be trying to find all the work I can get wherever I can get it.
The MSP thing is just for this company, they still want me "taking care" of things. So I'm guessing the most important tool would be remote assistance, messaging/ticketing/tasks perhaps?
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@IRJ said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
Once again, this place sounds like a terrible place to work lol
They may be hiring soon, you should give it a shot
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Back to the original question about automation. Here are some ideas:
Learn powershell
Implement open source monitoring solution to email you on server statuses
Create Maintenance Schedules for patching each server if you don't already have them
Automated Nightly database checks with email notifications
Schedule monthly AD cleanups using tool by cjwdev
Leverage low cost tools like PDQ Deploy and Inventory. Advance package and scripting deploymnet. Along with managing 3rd party updates, software inventory and more.
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@scottalanmiller said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
So what advice do you have for moving full time W-2 to part time 1099?
Never do it!
In your case, it's not that you are moving from W-2 to 1099, it's that the 1099 will go to the new company that you work for and THEY pay you as a W-2.
Are you talking about incorporating or creating an LLC?
I already work my freelance stuff, all my "extra" money goes into a business checking account, but there is no separation from personal funds yet. I don't have all that worked out.
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@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
@scottalanmiller said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
One thing is system management. It would be nice to have monitoring tools to warn me of simple things like drive space filling up, or backups that didn't run, or new software that is installed.
I'm guessing that this question is premature. Let's start with what your OTHER business is going to be. Then figure out how to fit the old one into the picture. What are you going to be, an MSP?
Not an MSP, I'm doing freelance web dev work and will probably start some additional businesses like an online store or sell on Amazon and stuff like that. I'll continue offering local IT services like break/fix but will mainly focus on freelance. Essentially I'll be trying to find all the work I can get wherever I can get it.
The MSP thing is just for this company, they still want me "taking care" of things. So I'm guessing the most important tool would be remote assistance, messaging/ticketing/tasks perhaps?
Oh okay, so kind of a one off situation.
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@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
The MSP thing is just for this company, they still want me "taking care" of things. So I'm guessing the most important tool would be remote assistance, messaging/ticketing/tasks perhaps?
Ticketing system is a must have for sure. I would ask if they can give you VPN access. As much work as you will be doing on their network each week, It will make things alot easier.
Remote assistance probably isn't necessary if you are only working with one client.
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@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
Are you talking about incorporating or creating an LLC?
Creating an LLC is incorporating. It's one of several forms of that. Yes, some form of forming a proper business, otherwise, how will YOU get paid?
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@scottalanmiller said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
Are you talking about incorporating or creating an LLC?
Creating an LLC is incorporating. It's one of several forms of that. Yes, some form of forming a proper business, otherwise, how will YOU get paid?
Not to mention that you could be sued for everything you have if you don't incorporate.
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@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
I already work my freelance stuff, all my "extra" money goes into a business checking account, but there is no separation from personal funds yet. I don't have all that worked out.
That's the first step before you do anything else, including telling your current business about going part time or starting to do any work. Absolutely step one.
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@IRJ said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
@scottalanmiller said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
Are you talking about incorporating or creating an LLC?
Creating an LLC is incorporating. It's one of several forms of that. Yes, some form of forming a proper business, otherwise, how will YOU get paid?
Not to mention that you could be sued for everything you have if you don't incorporate.
Yes, can't be overstated how important this step is.
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@scottalanmiller said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
@IRJ said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
@scottalanmiller said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
Are you talking about incorporating or creating an LLC?
Creating an LLC is incorporating. It's one of several forms of that. Yes, some form of forming a proper business, otherwise, how will YOU get paid?
Not to mention that you could be sued for everything you have if you don't incorporate.
Yes, can't be overstated how important this step is.
That's not the advice I generally read online. Even if I'm a sole proprietor, which I would be, I can still get "sued for everything". So generally it's not to worry about until I really need the liability protection or start hiring people or whatever the case may be.
Which LLC are you suggesting for a freelancer? Surely I don't need to be a C corp for this?
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@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
@scottalanmiller said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
@IRJ said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
@scottalanmiller said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
Are you talking about incorporating or creating an LLC?
Creating an LLC is incorporating. It's one of several forms of that. Yes, some form of forming a proper business, otherwise, how will YOU get paid?
Not to mention that you could be sued for everything you have if you don't incorporate.
Yes, can't be overstated how important this step is.
That's not the advice I generally read online.
Um, then you are reading some seriously crazy stuff. I've never read anything that didn't say that this was the absolute number one most important thing ever. Anything you read that suggests anything otherwise, stop reading immediately, that's not a business publication.
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@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
Even if I'm a sole proprietor, which I would be, I can still get "sued for everything".
Of course, because "sole proprietorship" is unincorporated - the opposite of what we are telling you is the base requirement. It's what is crazy and no one should ever, ever do. In fact, SPs are generally not considered businesses at all, no serious business could possibly consider such a thing. SP literally means "I did nothing that I was supposed to do and am operating as a person instead of a business" and is termed "unlimited liability".
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@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
Which LLC are you suggesting for a freelancer? Surely I don't need to be a C corp for this?
You really haven't seen any material on this yet. You need to get a book on this and dig in. LLC and C Corp are two different things. LLC doesn't mean "company", it's a very specific kind of company that is as far from a C Corp as you can get. When we suggest an LLC, the "type" is... LLC. There aren't types OF LLCs, LLC is a type OF corporation. A non-shareholder type.
LLC is the normal thing that you want. But there are B, C and S in most states. There are also LLPs and other things. Lots of options and normally this is where you talk to an attorney long before you talk to the first potential client.
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Why even create an LLC? Just see if you can stay on as a part time employee at the same rate of $20/hr. Even at $35/hr after taxes you'll be lucky to clear $20/hr
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@guyinpv said in Moving from full time to part time, what can I automate?:
So generally it's not to worry about until I really need the liability protection or start hiring people or whatever the case may be.
This is as wrong as this info gets. Your sources on business are very, very dangerous. In some ways this is correct, you don't need to incorporate until you need liability protection. That time is... the first moment you talk about doing business. So while it is true, that statement means what we said - that you need to be incorporated before opening a bank account, before talking to literally anyone but your attorney. Your liability starts the moment you do anything other than incorporating.
