Not taking the plunge but dunking my head!

[dotwhack]

Hi all!

About 18mths ago I was in a job I hated with a boss I hated and decided I could effectively sell my knowledge to others as a consultant. So I set up a company - well actually I paid £75 for a company to register my company for me and alas Dot Whack Marketing Solutions was born!

A friend of mine who was a web design built me a primitive website as a favour (which is now rediculously out of date) and another friend who had recently started his own business hired me to produce a marketing plan for him - and that was my first client.

Eventually left the job I hated for another which left no time for my own venture and now the company lies dormant. But now I've decided to re-start my business - which will consult on all aspects of marketing but specialise specifically on online marketing - with the hope of 'taking the plunge' full time within the next 18 months.

To establish a client base, and therefore have give myself a little more credibility, I've decided to offer my services to a select number of charities completly free - in return for being able to use them as case studies (plus I think helping charities will give me a warm fuzzy feeling).

Anyone think I'm completely mad?

[eequals]

I don't think you're mad dotwhack and a few free jobs undertaken on behalf of charities will give you the beginnings of a track record: Just don't tell future potential clients that you did the work free when you are pitching.

Where I diverge from your plan is in the 'Not dunking my head' bit. Getting a new business off the ground requires all the time and resources you can throw at it.

Joe