I’ve been working with a customer for some time on some web projects, who was ultimately referred to me from one of my broadcasting industry contacts.

My associate who referred this customer to me, when asked, tells me the customer is “no bullshit” and to “take him seriously” and has cited some of my customers prior jobs which are extremely impressive.

So anyway, over the last 2 months the customer has been talking about a business he is intending to establish in Los Angeles. He requires the assistance of someone like myself, who in his own words “is fluent with technology to the point new unknown challenges are of little issue”. Quite a compliment on my skills – essentially he’s intending for me to operate an IT department. He would like me to come to Los Angeles for 3 to 6 months to assist building his technology driven business. He has stated the offer isn’t rolling yet, as they’re seeking financing as it is a large scale operation. He has hinted at the financing they’re receiving, although very unspecific, it is a figure in the tens of millions to start-up.

I met with the customer earlier this week and he told me his business partner is in Los Angeles right now and only last night was approved financing. They are now in panic mode and are drafting up plans for everything. The customer will come to me in the coming weeks with an offer.

So tonight I did a bit of research into my actual expenses and determining what I think is fair. I worked out that intending to live in Los Angeles very close to my work will cost a minimum of $50,000 USD with expenses like accommodation, travel, a car, my necessary tools (computers), etc.. I also have to consider the job is intending to place me under much stress and pressure so I should be well compensated – and during the trip I would intend to travel to New York, Canada, and Mexico. Also, I’m being asked to close up a business in Australia for an extended period of time that’s taken me over a decade to establish. But maybe I can keep my Australian business rolling. If I can convince my partners brother to cut his very long hair, it may work out that I can employ him to conduct my Australian operations while I’m away and rely on Skype to supervise and train him from LA.

It seems very fair to ask for amounts upwards of quarter of a million dollars for the totality of this job.

The job is also a film or motion picture orientated business. My customer appears to be well connected to well known Hollywood based talents. The phrase “going Hollywood” pops to mind since if this job pans out, that’s what I will be doing.

I’m also fascinated by the idea that LA has extremely low cost fibre optic Internet, and its very likely my office in downtown LA would be sitting on a GigE connection with the intent of streaming real-time high definition video and providing free Internet access to customers of the business. I’ll ultimately be responsible for a couple racks of equipment, which likely will be in my office.

My partner is really thrilled by the idea that if it pans out, we’ll be jumping off the plane and unloading $50k almost immediately. The job is also interesting because my partner is prepared to give up her newly acquired job (only today in-fact) if this pans out. I can keep her occupied obviously by having her work directly for me. Alternatively, my customers business model to me obviously requires someone with her qualified skills – so either way she can come and shop and will also have a job to keep her occupied while I am. I’ll also end up proposing to my partner overseas somewhere really special.

I would also like to have my parents come visit and my partners brother, both of which I’d have to finance. My partners parents I’d like to visit too but they could likely finance their own trip. With all of them I’d intend for them to stay at our home in LA. I would use Skype to stay in touch with them too – the office should be able to saturate any Australian broadband connection with high definition video of us.

I would intend on returning to Australia, maybe, depending on how financially rewarded I can remain in LA. Ultimately I’d want to be very financially rewarded to remain in LA because I’d be distanced from my family, and have fears of differences in politics like no free healthcare in the US while we have Medicare in Australia. If I stay in LA or if I returned to Australia, either way I’d want to invest a large chunk of any income from this job into my business – I figure if my business can generate that kind of income, its clearly deserving of further investment, and takes priority number one for how to spend that money. If rolling a few tens of thousands can give this kind of reward – what can I achieve from investing $100,000? What kind of job offers will I get in another 10 years time? This kind of investment though – I’d want to do very very carefully, but at the same time, I’d have to make sure I’m not too careful and don’t retain it too long where its ultimately wasted over a long period on useless purposes.

However you have to take everything with a grain of salt. I’m not expecting this job to pan out, but yes I am really excited about it. To me it seems like an achievement that someone who does not bullshit and is the real deal is offering me such a job. If only it could be put on my business portfolio – but right now I don’t think it can since the entire project is top secret (oops, did I blog a little?).