10/06/2026
Most senior tech contractors think their ceiling is their day rate. It isn't.
Your day rate can go up. It will, if you're good. But your revenue will always be capped by the number of days you can sell.
A contractor sells time. A consultant sells outcomes — and an outcome doesn't have an hour count. A retainer doesn't stop when you go on holiday. An advisory relationship doesn't require you in a room.
Both pay well. A consulting business builds something the day rate never can.
I'm not arguing against contracting. At certain stages, for certain people, it's the right structure. But if you're building for genuine optionality and some level of financial independence, the architecture matters. You wouldn't design a system without thinking about its scalability.
I'm covering this in a free workshop this Wednesday the 17th on how to structure the consulting side alongside your current role, without leaving, without burning out.
Link in my Bio.
If you're contracting currently, where do you see it taking you in five years?