Adventures in the Snow Land

Consulting does not always mean glamorous trips to the world known cities on a client's expense. No one ever mentions this part during the interview and none of the consulting sites or blogs talk about MiddleOfNowhere, USA.

These days most companies are happy to get a client and assign their staff to a billable project. Not much to choose from.

As I was trying to find my soon to be Monday-Thursday office in Fayetteville, AR through Google Earth, I realized I was not alone. Half of the passengers on a small AA flight were consultants from the "big five" heading to the same area to work with Walmart. They kept talking about their past projects in Chicago, NYC, Boston, etc....

Working in a small town with a small company usually means to forget your big city mentality, change your paste (to a slower) and adapt to the fact that Marriott Courtyard is the best lodging option. I felt lucky when I discovered that the only Starbucks in town is on my way to the office.

Don't forget to watch football every Sunday. Weather and sports are good conversation starters and ice breakers the closer it gets to the South. Or in any small town.

In a family oriented community forget about partying and socializing. Everything pretty much shuts down around 9 PM or even earlier when an unexpected snow storm visits the town covering it with ice.

Driving becomes a hidden talent you suddenly discover while sliding your way to the airport... just to find out your flight is five hours delayed.