This week’s Freelancer Insides interview is with Sergio Valente, an SAP Consultant from Buenos Aires. Freelancing for over 3 years now, Sergio shares his experiences and challenges with us, and the soundest advice he’d give to aspiring freelancers for a smoother start!
Hi Sergio, thanks for being a part of our freelancer insides interview series! Firstly, can you tell us bit about yourself?
I am Sergio Valente. I am from Buenos Aires, Argentina. I am ERP/SAP Financial & Controlling Functional Analyst, and I have been freelancing for 3 years.
How is it to be an independent ERP SAP consultant? Would you say it is easy to be a freelancer in this particular field? Was it easier before than it is now?
Being an independent ERP SAP consultant is to face a complex environment with multiple scenarios in different companies that belong to several industrial and commercial branches. The freelance market in Argentina has the paradox of having a limited scope (because of high and medium size firms) and at the same time with several ramifications due to projects, evolutive solutions, new scenarios. The evolution of market and dynamic reality of ERP SAP is changing all the time. Nowadays with S4/HANA, constant training is an obligation for consultants to avoid being outsiders of this market.
What was your inspiration and when did you actually decide to become a freelancer?
I started freelancing because of the market conditions at the time. I became a freelancer full-time three years ago, but I started in the beginning as consultant in different consulting firms.
Was it difficult for you to start freelancing? Could you share with our readers the most important lessons that you have learned on the way?
The most challenging part of starting my own business was the reguIatory and tax rules in Argentina, because of the huge tax quantity: in Argentina there are 96 different taxes (plus Inflation). To have a smoother start, I’d recommend it is important to have sound accounting advice first.
For a smoother start to freelancing, I’d alway recommend sound accounting advice.
What kind of services have your clients asked you to provide? Are there any particular projects that you really enjoy working on?
My clients have asked me to provide solutions in Financial and Controlling implementations of ERP SAP. I am a very experienced consultant in CO in different production scenarios: repetitive and discrete manufacturing (production orders and process orders) and sales order costing. I am proud of being part of Canteras Cerro Negro implementation project because we received a user’s award.
Do you use other freelancers or companies to provide skills that you don’t possess?
I use other freelancer’s services from time to time. Besides, I sometimes contract another freelancer to train me on skills that I do not possess.
Now tell us, how do you find new clients that are interested in your services?
I use freelancing websites. I acquire projects via Social and Business Networks. I also receive a daily mailing with IT job searches.
What about freelancermap.com? Can you tell us a little bit about your experience with our IT-network?
Freelancermap is a fantastic idea to connect freelancers with firms. The website is really full of information with real consultant experiences and updated with proper information. It is important to satisfy firm’s requirements of consultants and to provide consultants with all types job search.
I find Freelancermap a fantastic idea to connect freelancers with firms.
How do you set yourself apart from your competitors? What makes you special?
I provide Special services like costing in all scenarios and besides I get the know-how of the whole Controlling module and the integration with PP (Production Planning), MM (Material Management) and FI (Financial) modules.
Is being your own boss what you expected? Do you sometimes think about going back to full-time employment?
Being my own boss is a challenging experience, but the risk is highly compensated with the satisfaction that I feel when a project comes to an end when it goes live. In a way, it is like to create something brand new and being part of this makes me feel really happy.
Being my own boss is a challenge, but the risk is highly compensated with the satisfaction I feel.
What are the top three books, blogs or magazines you read to stay up to date in the IT and SAP-market?
I read frequently SAP blogs on the Internet. SAP Help Portal is a common source of knowledge to me and different IT local magazines. I read all IT news in Internet Portals.
Freestyle! Is there anything you would like to tell our readers?
Fellows: do not hesitate to become a freelancer. I am not an adventurous kind of person; to be true I am very analytical guy, but definitely I am completely satisfied to be a freelancer and all the goals that I have got in this years.
You can find my freelancer profile here:
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