Maverick is a name that kept resurfacing throughout my adult life. It was my fraternity nick name--before Tom Cruise made it cool in Top Gun and I never got a strait answer why my fraternity bros assigned me that name. I majored in business, graduated, and couldn't find a decent job. So I went back to school and learned how to program computers. I also had a radio show in college where I went by the moniker "Dr. Bob". That eventually replaced "maverick".

I have worked for a variety of companies in my career. From big companies like Dow Chemical and Medtronic, to little companies where I was the entire IT team. My business background always influenced my thinking and my approach to using computers to solve business problems. At Dow, during a review, my manager said that I was a maverick. There was that name again, and it wasn't meant as a compliment.

I found myself working in smaller companies and thriving there because I could do a variety of tasks. Now and then I would get reprimanded for devising a solution that violated company policy. Like the time I wrote a program in C, to run on a personal computer, and would save our operators a lot of time. The problem was that we were a COBOL shop and no one else knew C. COBOL didn't run a a PC in those days and I had to uninstall my program.

Once I got into consulting, one of the recruiters I worked with looked at the wide variety of computer skills I had acquired and commented that I seemed to have a roaming instinct. I offered the retort "you mean like a maverick?" After that conversation, the nick name was used as a metaphor for my skill set and personality.

So, when it came time to name my company, I went with I. T. for Information Technology, and Maverick just because it sounded fun and sort-a fit.

PS. I wish someone would tell Sarah Palin that I want my nick name back! :)

Where are you located?

I am located in the North West metro of Minneapolis.

 

Do you work exclusively in Minneapolis/St. Paul?

No. I have worked with clients throughout the United States and Canada.

 

Are you a freelancer or do you work through an agency?

Most of my work is done as an independent contractor, aka. freelance. However, I have worked through different consulting companies. My rate stays the same whether I work through an agency or directly by the client.

 

You call your self a "Web Developer", is that just another way of saying "Web Designer"?

By Web Developer, I mean that I am professionally trained programmer. I have been programming computers for over 25 years. In that time I have set up networks, web servers etc. including designing graphics. Web Designers typically focus on web graphics and what the web site looks like. Web Developers tend to focus on what the web site does for you.

 

How do you charge for a project?

Typically I quote a job with a high and a low range with a 50% down payment up front. I give a range because on most jobs clients needs expand as they see their project develop. I don't want there to be any surprises and your 100% satisfaction is very important to me.

 

Do you have an hourly rate?

Yes, I do. When I charge by the hour it involves me coming on-site and working for you exclusively--typically 40 hours a week. When I work this way, my rate is $60/hr.