Do you know anyone who consults in HI, but doesn't live there? (Honolulu: insurance)

[Alicia64]

I was just wondering how the arrangement works.

Thanks,

Alley

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Alicia64

I was just wondering how the arrangement works.

Normally it is the reverse that is the dream... to live in Hawai'i and consult elsewhere.

[Alicia64]

Originally Posted by OpenD

Normally it is the reverse that is the dream... to live in Hawai'i and consult elsewhere.

Well, okay, that would be my dream, but we can't leave the East Coast. Has anyone performed consulting work on the island? Oahu? I'm wondering how it worked financially, remote-wise etc.

Alley

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by Alicia64

I was just wondering how the arrangement works.

Thanks,

Alley

It is very common, especially in IT. A lot of big name places like Microsoft or SAP don't have offices in Hawaii.

Usually works this way:

1) Do all the work remotely. Especially programming.

2) Have a hybrid approach - a mixture of onsite and remote work. For instance, a business analyst may need to come to Hawaii to get requirements but the bulk of the work is still done remotely.

3) Have a onsite team from the mainland - this is the least common method as the cost of that approach is very high.

[PacificFlights]

So long as they are paying you enough to cover the cost, its no different than anywhwre else.

[OpenD]

Seriously, if I must be...

There is still another approach, which is being used on a big local historic hotel rehab project, which is to do the consulting work onsite, using a a core team from the mainland, directing a locally recruited team with related experience.

I'd say a lot depends on the nature of the work to be done. Project managing a software development project from afar is relatively easy. Trying to manage something that affects and is affected by local culture is relatively hard.

[UHgrad]

Originally Posted by Alicia64

Well, okay, that would be my dream, but we can't leave the East Coast. Has anyone performed consulting work on the island? Oahu? I'm wondering how it worked financially, remote-wise etc.

Alley

Yes it definitely can be done, you just need an arrangement with the employer and make sure you have your taxes straight (GE tax in Hawaii). My wife continued working as a consultant for her previous employer in Honolulu for about a year and a half after we moved to the east coast.

It actually worked out really well because of the time difference... they would give her stuff to work on at the end of the day (in Hawaii), she would wake up 5 or 6 hours before them to get it done (time difference), then it would be ready for them when they came to work the next day. The only real issues were setting up times for conference calls or last minute changes, but they just made special arrangements when deadlines were close to accommodate that. They also saved money by not having to pay for her benefits so she was able to get on my insurance and demand a pretty good hourly wage.

[Alicia64]

Originally Posted by UHgrad

Yes it definitely can be done, you just need an arrangement with the employer and make sure you have your taxes straight (GE tax in Hawaii). My wife continued working as a consultant for her previous employer in Honolulu for about a year and a half after we moved to the east coast.

It actually worked out really well because of the time difference... they would give her stuff to work on at the end of the day (in Hawaii), she would wake up 5 or 6 hours before them to get it done (time difference), then it would be ready for them when they came to work the next day. The only real issues were setting up times for conference calls or last minute changes, but they just made special arrangements when deadlines were close to accommodate that. They also saved money by not having to pay for her benefits so she was able to get on my insurance and demand a pretty good hourly wage.

Thanks for all the responses!

Question: do the HI companies get a special airfare? Or would my husband likely have to pick up his own airfare at tourist prices? We're curious about how he'd get out there. Does the consultant-package usually pick up airfare?

Thanks again,

Alley

[whtviper1]

Originally Posted by Alicia64

Thanks for all the responses!

Question: do the HI companies get a special airfare? Or would my husband likely have to pick up his own airfare at tourist prices? We're curious about how he'd get out there. Does the consultant-package usually pick up airfare?

Thanks again,

Alley

No - no special airfare for Hawaiian companies (although Hawaiian comps baggage fees for everyone in my company booked under a corporate code and comped gold status to the mgmt team). Companies that fly people to Hawaii for onsite consulting bill the travel costs to the company paying for the consulting. Because of those costs, a lot of consulting is done remotely.