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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.
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.