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Building a Small IT Consulting Business Based on Linux (Video)
When you call your business Penguin Computer & Telephone Solutions, it's obvious that Linux is your favorite operating system. Company owner Frank Sflanga, Jr. happily works on Windows, Mac and whatever else you want or have around, but he is a Linux person at heart; in fact, he's a founder and leading member of The Southwest Florida GNU/Linux Users Group. But the point of this interview, which some will want to label an ad (although it's not), is to show how Frank started his one-man consulting business and made it successful so that other Slashdot readers can follow in his footsteps and become self-employed -- if they are so inclined. You might want to note that most of Frank's clients were not familiar with Linux when he first started working with them, and most are not particularly interested in software licensing matters as long as Frank keeps their stuff working. You might also want to note that Ft. Myers, FL, where Frank is located, is not exactly famous as a hotbed of leading-edge technology, which means that even if you live someplace similar, where business owners ask "What's a Linux?" you might be able to make a decent living running a Linux-based IT consulting business.
Forget it, back to work.
Some people die at 25 and aren't buried until 75. -Benjamin Franklin
Why does he not call it GNU/Linux? Stallman would be cross . . .
So is posting this on Slashdot a commercial for the commercial that is this video?
... show how Frank started his one-main consulting business
What about his other consulting businesses?
Nothing wrong linux.
BUT I would stay with windows. Frankly, licensing cost for software each year is a lot cheaper than the extra 10k+ you will be paying each year for every linux developer on your team. I guess that is not important if you are doing most of the work yourself, or have a very very few IT professionals. Where I work though, it has not been proven to be a viable option due to long-term costs. It is cheap up front until you grow and need more man-power.
"no one calls to say they misplaced their printer icon"; No adobe update notifications, don't need to defrag or update, etc..... Why not? Linux doesn't do away with any of this. Package updates break things on Linux as often as they do on any other platform. Adobe needs updates on Linux too. The difference is that the users are scared to touch anything, so they don't. Instead of users buying software and doing their own work, they hire him to administer free software - I am OK with that, but I hate the myth that Linux "just works". There is a reason, that even with all the free software that exists, the software companies are still in business.
Unless that business is in hosting, supercomputing, science, robotics, software development, or some other little cottage industry.
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
It also, you may want to note, isn't exactly hillbilly country - Monster has 16 high-tech jobs in Ft. Myers area right now, much more if you expand your search area...
It's no Silicon Valley, but then again neither is about 99.99% of the country...
Ken
And a couple mainframes...
Ken
Oh yeah, destroy the parent's argument with things that only apply 95% of the time.
Shame on you.
Get free satoshi (Bitcoin) and Dogecoins
You see folks, the #1 question to answer when being an entrepreneur is: How do you drive revenues?
I.E. Get sales.
From what I gather, he poached customers from his former employer and I based that on his statement (to paraphrase) a cabal of loyal people - or some such thing.
He also offers other services - like telephony; which I have a sneaky suspicion is his bread and butter - not the Linux support.
I think it's great that he's doing well and can join a country club and have a couple of cars. Awesome! More power to him!
But what I'd LOVE to see, is someone who is not only a Linux geek, but someone who built up a business like this from nowhere - as in NO source of customers. A nobody.
That's what I'd like to see.
I am from the area in question, and always found most my work in the same feild somewhere else. Looked into joing this group years ago, but it seemed amature. How he got this on /. floors me.
Losing businesses run on Apple and Microsoft.
FTFY.
I run a very profitable company that started out as a Linux consulting shop.
I started my company back in 1999 when Linux really wasn't on business's radar. The keys to success were:
For me, it has been a terrific 14 year ride with a great future ahead. Not a losing proposition by a long shot.
I am 100% sure that a one man consulting shop does not consult for hosting, supercomputing, scientific, software development, etc. He likely consults with small scale (non-chain) retail, dentists (although it seems like most dentists are tied into large IT providers), etc. In other words - small business. And he is screwing them. When he gets tired of this gig or moves to another place, these people are stuck with poorly supported, non-standard stuff. Not really what they would want.
I know a guy out in the mountains of Appalachia who has a nice computer support side business. He's not getting rich or anything, but it brings in extra income.
I would think that being AWAY from an IT hotbed would be a GOOD thing because the local market isn't flooded with every Tom, Dick, Harry, and Mary who has an IT support company - like in Metro Atlanta.
And don't give me this "Well, the best will shine and others will fail" nonsense. If you get shit to work or give a good line as to why it doesn't, then you're golden - see big chain squad that makes a lot of money.
Linux = Servers
Apple = Desktops, phones and tablets
Windows = Games
Get free satoshi (Bitcoin) and Dogecoins
so same as any other vendor then?
except at least with Linux you have a chance at finding a community for support
Sorry, but exactly what do you do?!
Ads on Craig's list?
What?!
the advice above is in every (varous versions) marketing book!
Yeah, it's destroyed because you can't do any of those things without Linux.
Aside from supercomputing, Linux doesn't really have an extreme presence in any one of these catagories.
Oh, and 95% of the business does not involve any of these catagories either. I really don't know where you came up with the number at unless you're working in a Linux only robotics software development lab that has a supercomputer and you also host from that location... I'm pretty sure that that would be a fairly unique business though.
I read your recommendations.
They don't work because I did that in my market. See Here
You're right, a .NET software development shop is a myth, and this doesn't really exist: http://www.robotshop.com/ghi-fez-spider-net-development-starter-kit.html .
I think you meant:
There's plenty of businesses in hosting, supercomputing, science, robotics, software development, or some other little cottage industry.
you must be new to computers...
Phones: Android, iOS, win 7/8
Games: all 3 have uniques, Linux can use wine, i'm sure there's an osx solution
Servers: RedHat, win server 2000-2012, OSX server
First, learn how to create a useful website. This guy's site says "Telephone Solutions", but when I look in what should be the Products tab, I find....a fax server. Really? No mention anywhere about what telephony solutions they have other than that fax server. I'm surprised that he's still in business, though it's probably due to word of mouth referrals for regular IT consulting stuff. Advertise, man! Give all of your products and solutions easy and prominent mention with lots of details so that people can easily understand what you do.
you must be new to computers...
If you think Linux and OSX can compete with Windows on games, you must be new to this universe.
I like Linux too, but I'm not fucking insane.
The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
for posting nothing.
You are either clueless are a great scammer. Because what you posted is shit.
I KNOW because I have been in business. AND I was stupid enough to get a MBA in Entrepreneurship because I thought I didn't know enough.
But I can say this sir, you posted NOTHING! Nothing that can help us geeks. IF you REALLY think that what you posted was your secret to success - then keep going! That would really tickle me if you kept doing what you're doing - considering your moderation.
You got lucky and you're too stupid to know it. I've been there - several times.
HOW TO GET BUSINESS! HOW TO GET THAT CUSTOMER - would help us and you did NOT post that.
You, sir,. are a fraud.
Businesses don't give a fuck about community support. The Windows shop I work for just completed a $50,000 project to replace infrastructure and migrate from linux. Some local guy like this put in all this kludged up linux shit that never worked right. They fired him, and we refuse to support a linux environment (the migration was just some files and a website, thankfully). Now they have a worry-free environment that works like other businesses. Group policy, managed updates, all these things most business take for granted.
The stability and familiarity of Microsoft, Cisco, and knowing that any IT company can support the infrastructure is well worth the money they spent. They didn't save anything in the end with linux. It cost them a lot more in the end.
Windows works in a small business precisely because I don't have to hire an expensive IT guy to setup and maintain all of my machines. The amount I spend of software is a tiny fraction of what it costs to have a professional it company take care of things. Lots of people can do lots of things on Windows easily. It Just Works. Having to call somebody every time we need to add a new computer or new piece of hardware is an absurd waste of money, in my opinion.
I don't respond to AC's.
Must be: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=150352
And I could've sworn I said
i'm sure there's an osx solution
what part of that didn't you get?
They fired him, and we refuse to support a linux environment
Ah, incompetent, I see.
-- Linux user #369862
"When you call your business Penguin Computer & Telephone Solutions, it's obvious that......" you've got no imagination.
$50k for "just some files and a website" - WTF?
Where and how do you spend $50,000 on a file server and web server?
Lets me guess, Windows + SharePoint + SQL Server....
What's On Your Network ??? http://www.open-audit.org/
Wow the shill desperation is strong in this one!
"Citation needed. I can't remember the last 'apt-get upgrade' that broke something on my system."
Recently I thought I would try the latest Qt IDE on Ubuntu 12.04. Did the apt installs and tried to use the IDE, got strange error messages and a crashing app just from trying to access some of the tools. After going thru all the obvious steps and finally ending up on the forums with the appropriate authorities on Qt, I get advised that I should uninstall the Ubuntu packages and download and build it all myself, cos the Ubuntu packages are usually borked.
And this after I had just spent several months trying to convince myself that Linux had come a long way towards being a reliable click-and-go desktop solution.
Not a hater, I have been used Linux for fun and a little programming for well over 10 years, I just feel disappointed every time I have to sift thru the crap and read the discussions across several eras of a library or app's evolution to find the solution to a problem, cos I relied on the packaging system of the distro I am using at the time. Its fun and all, at first, but eventually gets tedious. Perhaps I should ditch Ubuntu, but its not like this is the ONLY distro I ever encountered this with.
If I had a DeLorean... I would probably only drive it from time to time.
Forget it, back to playing xonotic...
by TheSpoom (715771) Uncaring Linux user here. I have nothing to add to this but please continue. *munches popcorn*
I'm fairly sure you are entirely fucking insane.
The whole Linux/OSX vs windows on gaming thing has become less and less of a gap. you apparently don't know that?
I own Greenwire Technology Solutions (https://greenwireit.com), here in Fort Myers, FL. I'm from the area, and I've owned my company for five years now. We have 12 employees and do pretty well. That said, I've been a linux user for over 10 years now, and have a lot of professional competence with *nix based systems. We support equipment on a range of platforms. I think it's important to be careful to not try and make a square peg fit into a round hole. There are business use cases where Linux does a great job. But I think it's important to take into consideration that those Virtual Machines, the added complexity of maintaining a cross platform environment, not having native access to specialised line of business applications, and lost productivity due to retraining; all add to the total TCO of changing to a FOSS platform. I personally know what managing these types of issues looks like, because we have environments where they are present for whatever reason. I've found in my professional experience that it's important to not try and 'convert' users. But rather to act as a good trusted adviser and find a solution that is minimally disruptive to their business.
Well, if you're counting the server hardware itself, that $50k could be spent on a single server, EASILY.
All A's are B's but not all B's are A's. Get off your semantic high horse. Everyone knew exactly what he was saying.
hmmm, 50 grand? a website and some files? what the hell did you do for 50 grand? you people are nuts.
ever heard of thing called android? or steam? the windows gaming arena is over and so are the gaming consoles. You can't complete with 30 gb of ram and 12 cores and dual video cards. The rest can be ran on handheld android phones or tablets. The war is over and Microsoft sony, and nintendo lost.
NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER GIVE UP! "No limitations, no boundaries, there is no reason for them."
IDEs from repositories are better to be avoided. They usually have enough bugs in themselves so that you'll need to keep an eye on the version you use, as accidentally updating an IDE can break things. They also tend to be quite picky, and the packaging is rarely done fully correctly. Luckily, at least in Eclipse's case, using the software from the official source is simply "extract and run".
hmmm, 50 grand? a website and some files? what the hell did you do for 50 grand? you people are nuts.
Probably wrote half an email program using three full-time developers.
I kid, I kid.
(not really)
One more thing.. if you have the skills, a great way to become known is to write and give away Free Software. I wrote three GPL'd software packages: RP-PPPoE, Remind and MIMEDefang which got me far more business leads than $100,000 worth of ads.
If you call what small inroads Linux on Steam has as a game changer than you certainly can't shrug off anything else. Linux isn't changing the face of Steam at all. They're just porting over games that were already OSX ports. Big deal.
It's like saying that this is the year of Linux on desktop because Linux actually hit 2% of marketshare.... Just another delusional Linux fag.
This.
...Steve
My first customers were my former employers. I did consulting for them.
You couldn't say that when you posted your first comment?
Really?
It does say something about your skills that you were able to get your employer as your first customer.
Just say'in.
That's what I was getting at .... you had some IN.
Some way of getting those first customers .. and it sickens me that I had to Troll you to get the information.
That's all I wanted to know. See, that's the hardest part of starting a biz is getting those first customers to get going. TO build the name. The whole "work hard, don't preach, yadda..yadda...yadda..yadda..yadda" is all horseshit and I know it - YOU know it.
Why couldn't you be really honest?
Everyone I know who has been successful at their own business built their clientèle at their former employer - and in some case SUED by them for "stealing" customers.
You living under a rock? Linux dominates the hosting industry.
Aside from supercomputing, Linux doesn't really have an extreme presence in any one of these catagories.
Well, you're wrong about that too. Linux has an overwhelming presence in hosting and other server situations.
Regular users don't have 32GB of RAM, 12 cores and dual video cards.
Get free satoshi (Bitcoin) and Dogecoins
My only issue is that in the 'business' world where I've built my 17 year old IT consulting business, most businesses use some industry specific application for their operations. The vendor/developer of said app often dictates the platform on which it runs. Even if some brilliant dude can make it work fantastically on Linux, the vendor will reject any and all responsibility for support when the customer goes off the reservation and doesn't follow the vetted specs. That fact alone kills most open source substitutions for small and medium businesses.
If you know anything about the .net micro framework and any implementation of it, there is no real-time capability. I have a netduino 2 and a netduino 2 plus, it's great that you can program them in C# in VS 2010 and do source level debugging. However, if you want any real time capability you have to write unmanaged code. Not so with the native C/C++ arduino environment, or any RTOS environment.
So yeah, .Net is popular, and yes if you don't need to do any real-time operations beyond what the already implemented libraries do for you (e.g. PWM) then you can use .Net.
So - yeah - not anyone's first choice except if they can't deal with unmanaged code.
That's crazy talk man. FOSS or DIE! M$ is the Devil. Forget all that crap about use cases and requirements elicitation and analysis and being a trusted advisor. Just repeat after me "You can do that for free on Linux!!!!". Your customers need to run their windows software, recommend WINE! It's FREE! They need to connect to a domain controller, HELL YES SMB IS SO EASY AND FUN!
Bend your users to your religious will and push FOSS on them, it's the slashdot/FOSS way.
Depends on your needs and future scalability. You could spend under 10K for a modest Microsoft server (Dell PowerEdge with SharePoint and SQL) with SBS 2011 Premium, but I wouldn't recommend it performance-wise.
Life is not for the lazy.
Well, if you buy a real server ... not something that runs in your basement at Moms ... 50K on hardware is ... well, trivial.
When you actually play with the big boys, you won't make such stupid statements.
Persistent Volume manager for Kubernetes - https://github.com/dwimsey/openshift-pvmanager
This big enough for you... http://www.lendlease.com/GCUH/index.html
What's On Your Network ??? http://www.open-audit.org/
In that case, you're 100% wrong. When I was a one man shop, I consulted for some hosting companies, including a rather large one. I was also consulted for one of the top 20 most recognized web sites, serving as their top engineer when the guys who ran daily operations were over the heads. At the same time, I would occasionally call in other "one man"s as needed. In fact, when getting it right REALLY matters, one man is the way to go - Ted Ts'o is the one man to call when you absolutely, positively MUST rescue a filesystem.
The other side long term cost is quality of the software. For $40-50K* you can get bad Windows developer to write crap. Later, you can spend $70,000 for someone decent to fix it. On Windows, you can instead get the $70,000 guy to do it right in the first place, skipping the cheap programmer.
On Linux, you'll find fewer cheap programmers to write crap, and the $70K guys will actually understand the OS they are writing for, and have access to the people who wrote the OS.
* Numbers are in Texas dollars. Double the salaries to convert to California dollars.
** Lack of cheap, crappy coders for Linux assumes you don't hire PHP scripting tweens.
Who is this senile old man interviewing him? This is horribly awkward.
Linux is for tiny shops and giant shops. That is the conclusion that I have come to. I work for large large businesses (you have heard of every single one of my clients). Windows 7 is the client, Linux is the server. With the advent of REST and web architectures, you can completely decouple the server from the client. Decoupling is not even a feature anymore, but a requirement.
..and the OSX selection was already pretty abysmal. I say this as an OSX and Linux user. Games are still the sore spot on both platforms. Still, however, I can play SC2 on OSX just as well as Windows (and Linux can sort of run it with Wine) and I can play Faster Than Light. Most of the Huble Indie Bundle games play as well. AAA games... not so much, but most of those games are barely worth playing anyways.
This, You can do whatever the hell niche you want as long as there is some demand, the market is not entirely saturated, and you turn down work that does not fit your niche. #1 rule to business: part ways when you are out of your sweet spot. Surprisingly difficult piece of advice to follow in the real world, but respect for anyone who can pull it off.
You described me. It started by putting a free web page on my ISP. They gave you like 2MB web space when you get Internet from them. Before that, I flipped burgers, so no poaching customers. Some of the consulting customers asked about SEO, so for a while I became the SEO consultant. For a while I added hosting along with the consulting type stuff, sold the hosting business, did more custom stuff. One of the custom jobs had wider appeal, so I sold it to a few thousand people. Sold that business because I want to play with new challenges. Then I remembered a server config I wanted to try when I was hosting - multiple time delayed mirrors to different DCs. Set that up for some people, they liked it, so I set it up for a few more. Now it sells as Clonebox. I still consult on whatever Linux stuff people need. Having your name in the kernel CHANGELOG and Apache credits helps increase consulting rates.
My story is somewhat similar. I got well known in certain circles, but never made a ton money. I'd enjoy talking business with you sometime.
And here was me assuming an IT Consulting Business would be based on consultants not some flannel about was OS the company founders favour...
What color is the sky in your world?
The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
Starting to turn Ubuntu Orange.
I'm sure he'll enjoy the attention from this.
I wonder if he will get the state's attention, since his business isn't registered.
Success?
im not big into linux but I have installed several freenas servers
its great
The games would have to utilize it for me to care... but ya steam on Linux is a big step into the unknown, at the very least Linux user's won't have to dual boot to play an MMO.
Some aspects of Linux are truly better designed than windows, that's a two way door, but not everybody has access to non-retail cost windows 7 licenses. I actually built a computer for a guy a long time ago and installed ubuntu because he didn't want to pay windows licensing... of course if he played a MMO he would've sucked it up and payed, but get my point?
Yes, that's what I was saying for the first half. The AC pointed out (correctly?) that there are fewer cheap crap developers available for Linux. AC to think that was a problem, though. Apparently AC hires the cheap ones and leaves the mess for his successor to clean up, if he can manage to get out of there in time.
$50k on a single server? Ok, sure...you could, but for a small business with "some files and a website"? WTF are you buying that costs $50k? Buy yourself a decent Dell server with a couple 8 core Xeons, 64GB of RAM and some storage and you're looking at $20k MAYBE. Probably more like $12-15k. I just bought a couple PowerEdge servers to run vmware for a small business. They were all 8 core with 256GB of RAM, 10GbE and dual port 8Gb FC and they were well under $10k each and that's WAY more than the average mom and pop shop needs.
Don't know. Have you ever heard of the internet? http://blogs.valvesoftware.com/linux/faster-zombies/ would show that you're full of shit, and that's from over a yera ago.
The issue is about good coding, not about some magic "linux/osx doesn't do as well" thing. You're a TWIT, not someone that understands technology.