As of March 8, 2010, I became an independent UX consultant. I chose that path to pursue meaningful work, to work with interesting teams and on interesting products. I selected for a path where my passion will produce more kinetic energy than friction.

I have watched people I admire blaze their own trails into the world of entrepreneurship. I have seen some of those same people lead the UX community I realized that is was simply a choice – there were no special prerequisites to figure out. It was a matter of recognizing the spirit that drives the desire for independence and noticing that it’s your own desire to act on. I aim to develop my own skills and practice, to develop the presence and quality of UX work in the Twin Cities, and to participate in the UX community.

Here’s a bit of the advice I’ve received in the last few days:

“Economics is the game. Finance is the rules. And, accounting is how you keep score.” – My uncle George Heath, an entrepreneur

“Find a space where you can work.” – Dan Knutson, Center of Attention. This is the practical stuff that gets me to pay attention to how I’m doing what I’m doing. Kids are fun, but they’re not office decor. They’re worth more than that.

“Don’t judge your whole future [as an independent] by the first gig you get.” – Richard Warzecha, Electronic Artisans. This was a reminder to not fall for the representativeness bias, nor to get anchored and misled.

“Hey, Elizabeth, let’s go get coffee.” – Bob Burns, m.bestbuy.com. A sporting reminder to take a break, talk about what your doing, and that caffeinated conversations can fuel daytime idea incubation.

A sample of the wisdom that’s always driven me is now just a shadow of the original quote:

“When I speak in front of a room, I don’t just speak to the people in the audience. I speak to the people in history I want to be like, the people I admire, and the people whom I would want to be in the audience.” – unknown, to me, for now

I want to practice user experience in a way that the people I admire would appreciate. To practice in a way that expresses dedication and determination, without pretense or authoritarianism.

We happen to be on a forefront of helping companies communicate with each other and with their customers and clients. That’s where I hope to make a contribution and a career.

*Image credit goes to “twinxamot”, http://www.flickr.com/photos/twinxamot/3689709944, who authorized use of this image here under Creative Commons.