From Employee to Independent Consultant With help from the Portage Salariale

1. From Employee to Independent ConsultantWith help from the Portage Salariale Presentation to ABAF byRichard Dubois F.C.A. 12/10/06 based on his own personal experience which won’t necessarily be the same for everyone

2. My own Case • Redundant 2002 aged 58 • 17 years work UK – 23 years France • F.C.A with very general experience in Financial & General Management in various industries • Eligible for Assedics till 60 extended to 65 and financially not over worried • « Discovered » le portage and its possibilities at an exhibition 4 years ago

3. Options when Redundant • Get another CDI • Get a CDD • Interim Management work • Become Independent Consultant • By forming an EURL • By using Portage salariale • Sit back and enjoy les Assedics

4. General Factors influencing the Option for each person • Age • Experience & particular Competences • Personal Financial Situation • Employer Hesitation to take on Seniors (or even to take on anyone at all) – Employers are looking for maximum flexibility • Simplicity of the Option adopted

5. CDI • Maybe ideal/essential if in mid career • Can ensure continuation of career objectives • Maintains the « statut salarié »

6. CDD • This option may well be adopted by someone hoping to later convert to CDI • Attractive to employer as a form of trial period (though technically not legal)

7. Interim Management Work • Interesting but uncertain • Need to ensure the next job • Often handled by specialist agencies/recruiters • French (Figaro 3/10) estimate - 1000 missions p.a. = 100 million€ - 50% handled by individual managers

8. Independent Consultant • Either by • EURL • Or by • Portage Salariale • We will compare these options from the point of view of a little guy starting up for the first time

9. EURL • Formalities/Cost/hence time for creation • Loss of « statut salarié » • Less charges but less protection sociale • No longer receive Assedics (if applicable) • Regular costs/time/work for • declarations • invoicing & tva • collections • account preparations etc • insurance (responsabilité civile) • Offers a structure capable of employing others

10. Portage • Consultant finds/pre -negotiates with client • Société de Portage (Jam) signs legal contract with the client for a mission – • Using exclusively RD (the consultant) • Underlining the « Obligations de Moyens » (rather than Obligations de Resultats • Confirming number of days/billing rate etc • Jam signs work contract with RD – CDI intermittent/mi temps • RD does the work, Jam bills client+ tva, Jam prepares pay slip and pays RD net salary (after deducting charges patronales et salariales)

11. Portage Advantages for Consultant • Set up costs - NIL • Set up time 48hrs – (for DPE) • Costs – Jam 5% & ONLY when there is income • Insurance covered by Jam • Stop/Start (even change Porteur) anytime – at no cost • Possible to recover exs/new computer/tva • Maintain couverture sociale(+assedic) • Training & contact with other Consultants • Suitable for those in retirement

12. Portage – KEY Advantages for Consultant • RD can concentrate 100% on his objective of finding clients and carrying out the mission- Jam is his BACK OFFICE and (for 5% of billings) handles all the admin • RD can use the portage as a testing ground to later form his own company if he so wishes • Someone looking for a CDI can use the portage for filling in.

13. Advantages for the Client • Fee billing more flexible & less onerous than taking on staff – no headcount increase • Very quick to put in place • Simple way to check a project and/or a consultant without long term committment • Outsourcing an excellent way of handling short (and long term) projects • Ability to use different skills of different consultants for a complex task

14. RD’s experience of being an Independent • The most difficult – FIND the Client • In 4 years RD has billed an average of 100 days per annum - 15 missions for 10 clients of which • 7 came from people who knew RD • 3 from people who knew people who knew RD • MORAL – work/network your address book

15. Steps & Tools • Decide what you can do and define (an easily modifiable) description of your job offer – not cv • Decide on a tariff – do not undersell (otherwise not credible),but remember clients like to negotiate - & you are not « un grand cabinet » • Work your contacts – meetings, lunches, cartes des vœux etc – • for credibility create a website -(www.ridubois.com - needs to be redone) • Accept that you must always be AVAILABLE

16. What have I got out of it • Enormous satisfaction at « making a sale» • Stimulation of meeting new situations e.g. foreign market studies and negotiations (not just financial/general management) • After 40 years of slaving at a regular job, the « joy of being free » and ready to tackle new challenges • A suplement to a guaranteed assedic income • Intellectual stimulation of maintaing a (reduced) professional activity

17. Websites www.ridubois.com www.jam-conseil.fr