Is helping people in the Elsmar forums Consulting?

[Randy]

Hey Marc or anybody else,

Could we not consider some of the assistance we provide folks who are developing, implementaing or maintaining their QS, EMS or other systems by coming here to the forum for help as a type of consulting?

[Howard Atkins]

I would say yes.
Why do you want to know?

[Randy]

Curiosity mainly...Also there may be the opportunity for some milage to be gained.

[Jim Biz]

Randy "what type of milage" could possibly be gained

[Randy]

It kinda keeps the jucies flowing for those of us that are doing consulting as our sole source or nearly sole source of work. I know that it encourages me to do some study and research to find answers.

I wonder, is research time deductable?

[Randy]

That's kinda along the line I was thinking. There is always a scramble to build ones rep so to speak. And I was curious whether or not the assistance that many of us provide one another here could be a form of consulting. I know that if someone like you or Biz or Marc were to use me as a reference I could honestly say "Yes" that any of ya'll had helped Daily Safety and Environmental (as a un-compensated consultant our compensation is the help we get in return). Maybe I'm stretching, but some of the folks here are looking for assistance in their regular jobs (like you guys from manufacturing organizations), and many of us here are helping them with their systems. I don't know how we could document it (the assistance we provide) and I surely wouldn't want to bastardize what Marc is doing here with this Forum. So if I'm off limits please let me know.

[Laura M]

What would the purpose of documenting it be? Do you mean like on a resume'?

I would consider a statement like "Major contributor to a nationally recognized quality forum." as accurate. I think Quality Digest recognized Marc's site a while back.

If you're thinking "tax deductible" my accountant always said my research time or self taught time was investment in the business.

Maybe I'm still confused on the purpose of the question.

Laura