We Run a Consultancy Together: Contractors, Money & Business Lessons

<p>We're doing something different this episode, you're meeting the other half of Everyday Agile. Naomi Parry-Hughes is my co-director (and my wife).</p><p><br /></p><p>In this episode we talk about:</p><p>- How Naomi went from secondary school RE teacher to co-director of an agile consultancy.</p><p>- The real story of day rate negotiations with agile/scrum contractors, and why they're always awkward.</p><p>- What actually determines your day rate as a contractor .(hint: it's not what other people tell you they earn)</p><p>- How to approach a renegotiation conversation pragmatically. </p><p>- The biggest mistakes we've made with our associate/contractor model</p><p>- Why invoicing on time matters more than contractors think</p><p>- The inside story of Not Another Agile Conference, and why we ran it at a loss.</p><p><br /></p><p>If you're an agile coach, scrum master, product person, or contractor working in tech consultancy, or if you're thinking about going independent — this is the honest, unfiltered version of what running a small consultancy actually looks like.</p><p><br /></p><p> ▶︎Tickets for Not Another Agile Conference (22 April 2027, Chester Zoo) are on sale now: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/notanotheragileconference/2178867</p><p><br /></p><p>▶︎Our Newsletter:</p><p>https://substack.com/@betweenthestandups</p><p><br /></p><p>▶︎Chapters</p><p>00:00 — Running a Business With Your Wife</p><p>01:04 — Why We’re Sharing the Behind-the-Scenes of Everyday Agile</p><p>01:45 — How Naomi Became Co-Director of Everyday Agile</p><p>02:13 — From Teacher to Consultancy Co-Director</p><p>04:06 — Why Naomi Left Teaching</p><p>05:15 — The Reality of Leaving Teaching</p><p>09:59 — How Contracting Changed Our Financial Reality</p><p>13:49 — Contractors, Day Rates and Money</p><p>14:59 — How to Negotiate Contractor Day Rates</p><p>17:41 — What Consultants Actually Do Behind the Scenes</p><p>18:20 — How Consultancy Rates Are Set</p><p>19:24 — Should You Ask for a Day Rate Increase?</p><p>20:22 — Why Percentage Increases Matter</p><p>21:05 — How to Justify a Contractor Rate Increase</p><p>22:54 — Advice for Contractors Negotiating Rates</p><p>24:12 — When NOT to Ask for a Pay Rise</p><p>24:49 — Our Biggest Mistakes With Associates</p><p>26:05 — Why Contracts Matter in Consultancy</p><p>27:20 — When a Client Likes the Wrong Contractor</p><p>28:02 — Why Reliability Beats a Big LinkedIn Profile</p><p>28:58 — The Importance of Contractor Invoicing</p><p>30:30 — Contractors: Remember You’re Running a Business</p><p>32:51 — The Biggest Lesson for Contractors</p><p>33:41 — Why Culture Fit Matters</p><p>35:05 — Has Agile Content Become Too Polished?</p><p>37:08 — Behind the Scenes of Not Another Agile Conference</p><p>39:36 — An Introvert’s Experience at an Agile Conference</p><p>41:24 — Why Customer Experience Matters at Events</p><p>43:09 — Using Data and Budgets to Make Better Decisions</p><p>44:04 — Why We Don’t Make Money From the Conference</p><p>45:07 — Quick-Fire Business Questions</p><p>48:07 — What We Love About Working Together</p><p>49:37 — The Hardest Part of Having a Business Partner</p><p>50:20 — Final Thoughts</p>