Hi my name is Tom,
My Background
I am an IT consultant with more than 20 years of field experience working in the Chicagoland area. I have a B.S. in Computer Science from DePaul University in Chicago. I am also a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (MCSD). I have worked on major banking software projects developed for five languages containing more than two million lines of code. I have also worked on major Network and Exchange Migration projects migrating more than 1,500 users at a time.
My Story
When I graduated college I was hired by a Microsoft IT consulting firm with approximately 60 consultants. The company was outstanding to work for. We had a free spirited culture that recognized effort on and off the job. The IT firm challenged us with our consulting skills as well as technically. Working twelve hour days followed by three hour evening study sessions six days a week was the norm. Our firm grew making us a lot of money in the process. We all shared in the success of the firm’s growth. We would celebrate our success with company outings, happy hours, ball games and numerous late night dinners. Then we sold our firm to a major multi-billion dollar consulting firm with over forty thousand employees. Our stock option buyouts paid off financially but we ended up losing a great IT firm to a faceless corporate goliath. A year and a half later we were acquired again by an even bigger corporation. The first thing you are told after an acquisition is that nothing is going to change. Change ended up being the only constant in that whole ordeal. I attempted to leave the company but was offered large stay bonuses. Finally the DOT COM bubble burst and the IT work dried up. The company shut down all U.S. operations in a single day. We had a final company meeting at our main office and they announced that they were closing all operations in the U.S. I felt relieved and scared at the same time. I took a couple of days to reflect and realized I was part of the reason that helped the firm succeed so why can’t I do it for myself. With that said I started up my own consulting company and hit the pavement looking for work. It ended up being the best thing that ever happened to me. I get to choose the clients, projects and work schedule. I have had a lot of fun and made more money than I ever thought possible. It wasn’t easy though. I have worked my butt off like you would not believe. I have been an independent IT consultant for more than twenty years and I want to share with you what I have learned in that time.
My Intentions for You
It is my intention to share with you what I have learned as an IT consultant and a businessman. If I can start my own IT business so can you. Join me in this journey of learning how to take control of your employment career and start learning how to build your own IT consulting business.
Who This Website Serves
Whether you work in IT tech support, IT administration or any other area related to IT networking and have thought about working for yourself as an independent IT consultant this website will show you how. Although this website is geared around IT networking related professionals computer programmers are welcome too.
Thanks for visiting the IT Consulting Academy!
Tom
P.S. Join the mailing list if you want to be sent content about how to work for yourself as IT consultant. Fill out the form below and get started today!
