Hours per week: 

50 on average

Typical working hours:
It's very cyclical. In September, Igear up. October, March, and June are my busiest months. In Novemberand December, I focus on marketing.

Main current clients:
A large mutual fund company inBoston; five East Coast colleges and universities; development andfundraising companies; women's networking groups; social andnon-profit organizations

Rates:
They vary. For a for-profit client, they can rangefrom $3,000 - $7,000 for a full-day presentation. For a non-profitorganization, I might charge a speaker fee of $100, but it could goto $750 if the program needs to be customized.

Earnings (in a good year):
Around $75,000

Favorite business reading: 

I love Working Woman magazine,which I've been reading since college. And naturally, anythingby Miss Manners.

Favorite non-business reading:
Illusions: TheAdventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach. I tell myfriends to read this book when they call me up and say, "Gee, Ithink I want to do something different with my life." I've readmy copy so many times that I have rubber bands holding it together.

Best way she gets clients:
Because I'm passionate aboutetiquette, my seminars are a lot of fun. The fact that etiquette canbe fun surprises participants, so they tell their friends andco-workers, who call or email me to find out more.

Worst wage-slave job she ever had:
I worked as an associateconsultant for a woman who had two faces: the one she used withclients, who adored her, and another for the office, where she spenta lot of time ranting and raving. She and I shared a secretary, withwhom I'd developed a friendly relationship. One day the secretary andI were reviewing a presentation that I was giving the following week,and we found a funny typo. When our boss heard us having a bit ofwork-related fun, she came storming out of her office, screamed at usfor laughing on the job, then stormed straight back into her office,slamming the door behind her. The secretary and I gave our noticewithin two weeks of that incident.

How do you market yourself?
Itake time to remember the interests of clients and potential clients.If I read something that relates to their business, I'll clip it outand send it with a short note. Even if they never use me on aproject, if they know someone who's looking for etiquette consulting,they'll remember my name and pass it on.

How do you keep your skills sharp?
I read (and re-read!)etiquette books.

What financial issues do you grapple with and how do you overcomethem?
Bookkeeping! But my accountant showed me how touse a financial management software program called Quicken that makesmy life much easier.

Whom do you turn to for advice and empathy?
There's a grouphere in Boston called New England Women Business Owners (NEWBO).They're the most fantastic group of women I've ever met. Some of themhave been business owners for 20 or 30 years, so if I ever have aquestion, I know there's someone at NEWBO who'll have the answer.

What was worst project you ever worked on and why?
Teachingmembers of Mensa how to make small talk. It took me a long time tobreak through their distrust of this social skill.

What was the best project you ever worked on and why?
Workingwith recent college graduates who'd just landed jobs at a largemutual fund company in Boston. They asked a lot of great questionsand were enthusiastic.

What do you say when people ask about "your job"?
Itell them that I teach confidence.

What's the best thing about being an IP?
I can develop avision and follow through on it in the manner I think best.

What's the worst thing about being an IP?
Fighting the lure ofthe television and refrigerator because I work out of my home. Also,sometimes it's hard to close the door on my work life. It's easy tosay, "Okay, one more hour," then, "Okay, anotherhour," but meanwhile everyone else at home wants dinner.

Do you have any advice for other IPs?
You should love whatyou do for work. If you wouldn't do it for free, then think twiceabout doing it at all.

What's your guiding philosophy?
Life is too short not to lovewhat you're doing. Working in human resources, I saw too many peopleat the end of their careers who admitted to me that they hated whatthey'd done for a living.

* IP: independent professional