I've done a few contracts as an independent in the last two years completely agree that sales is the most important and is also the hardest.
I disagree with you when you say problem is the 0 to POC/MVP (excluding sales).
I think that is the easiest and most fun part of a project. The hardest is 0 to first line of code.
When you complete part of the POC/MVP and it seems to be working, clients understand what you are worth.
In my experience, after the POC, managers had no problem boosting the budget because you've proven you can do the job and there is low risk in giving you more work and freedom to continue adding features.
I might have been lucky to get along really nicely with all of my clients yet.
Finding the initial problem is the hardest for me. All of my contracts were from previous contacts and someone knowing someone...
If anyone has it the other way around, I'd love to learn more.
I disagree with you when you say problem is the 0 to POC/MVP (excluding sales). I think that is the easiest and most fun part of a project. The hardest is 0 to first line of code.
When you complete part of the POC/MVP and it seems to be working, clients understand what you are worth.
In my experience, after the POC, managers had no problem boosting the budget because you've proven you can do the job and there is low risk in giving you more work and freedom to continue adding features.
I might have been lucky to get along really nicely with all of my clients yet.
Finding the initial problem is the hardest for me. All of my contracts were from previous contacts and someone knowing someone...
If anyone has it the other way around, I'd love to learn more.