New Computer Technology - When is Enough, Enough?

New computer technology comes out continuously. As a computer consultant you probably want to keep up with all the new computer technology that comes along. You're most likely in love with technology - always looking for a new intrusion protection product to play with or another border-gateway protocol. What you have to realize is that your small business clients aren't experimenting with new computer technology and so you shouldn't be wasting your time investigating it.

New Computer Technology Distractions

New computer technology is a distraction you can't afford. It's easy to get caught-up with keeping-up, but, no one is paying you for your raw technical knowledge. They aren't paying you for knowing the latest new computer technology, they are paying you for knowing the technology they are using.

If you've been in corporate IT for a long time you're way ahead of the average small business anyway. The average small business is going to be at least six to twelve sometimes even 18 months behind the new computer technology you see in the average enterprise IT shop.

In the early stages of your business, you have to put learning new computer technology on the back burner. Adjust your priorities and put 90 percent of your R&D on the back burner for the next three to six months. Concentrate on finding paying clients. If those paying clients start demanding skills with new computer technology, that's when you invest your time and energy.

The Bottom Line on New Computer Technology

You're in the business you're in because you love new computer technology. Unfortunately, in the business building stage you can't afford to spend your time learning, you have to spend your time doing - and getting paid for doing it. New computer technology isn't being used in the majority of clients' applications anyway. Put your passion for new computer technology on hold for a while and be passionate about finding steady, paying customers