Welcome to FileMaker Consultant

I've been a FileMaker developer for over 10 years now and have created hundreds of applications for individuals and businesses. In 1998 I decided to dedicated my time to developing web applications for small businesses with FileMaker Pro.

I started a company named FMWebschool. The first thing that I noticed was that FileMaker web publishing was wholly undocumented and there were very few resources available. Scraps of information were available here and there, but nothing that you could guide you from A-Z.

I decided at that time to write my first book on FileMaker Web Publishing. The book covered IWP and would later evolve to cover the basics of CDML. I launched my first book online at my website http://www.fmwebschool.com/ The response was surprising, and I received a lot of support from other developers. I also received a lot of suggestions and request. Over the next 8 years I would go on to write numerous books, video series, magazine articles, newsletters, and develop a whole series of web tools and FileMaker plug-ins.

We have also started the first ever all FileMaker Web Forum at: http://fmwebschool.com/frm/index.php We have nearly 500 members now and nearly 1100 posts.
So, if FMWebschool is so active in the web community, then why a Blog named FileMaker Consultant? While creating website and development tools for FileMaker users is a big part of what we do, it is certainly not the only thing that we do.

Over the past three years, FMWebschool has created over 300 FileMaker driven websites for clients around the world. We have sold literally thousands of books and software packages that we have written. I don't say this at all to toot our own horn. None of this would have happened had we not taken a very very serious interest in Marketing.

Over the past several years I have participated in marketing workshops around the country with some of the worlds top salesmen. I have read literally hundreds of books on marketing and psychology, and have worked one on one with some amazing marketing gurus. Throughout this period, I have compiled a great deal of information that I think will be extremely valuable to the FileMaker community.

If you are a FileMaker developer, you are kidding yourself if you don't think that you need to know how to market yourself, your product or your services. If you are an independent consultant, you have to know how to communicate effectively. Even if you are employed by a company, learning proper communication skills and being able to take advantage of opportunities when presented is key!

Over the next few weeks I will be posting consulting and marketing articles that I have written for our newsletter "Confessions of A Webaholic". We now have over 4000 subscribers! I ask that you review the articles, make comments, and even add your own articles and resources. In time I would like for FileMaker Consultants to be able to come to this site and find the tools and resources that they need to be successful!

My plans are to upload articles, resources (software, legal, documents, programming help etc...) podcast, FileMaker example files, online movies and more. I hope that this blog grows and provides a valuable resource to a wonderful community that I have had the pleasure of being a part of for years!

In Kindness
Stephen K Knight