Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers
- How does Office Hours work?
Office Hours is a knowledge-sharing platform that connects clients with advisors in specific expertise areas. Clients search for and book 30 to 60-minute calls with advisors who have the expertise and perspectives they need. Scheduling, compliance, and payment are all managed on the platform. Calls can be joined via videoconference or via phone.
- Who are Office Hours' clients?
At this stage, we are primarily focused on clients in the healthcare and technology sectors. Our clients include VC and PE investors, founders, product managers, and operators from startups and Fortune 500 companies, who all share one thing in common - the need for expert perspective to inform strategic decision-making.
- How do advisors get paid?
We offer three payment options - Paypal, secure bank transfer via Stripe, or a charity donation to any 501(c)3 charity of your choice. After you complete a call, your payment will be processed and paid out within 1-3 business days. To update your payout preference, click here.
- Are there any fees for joining Office Hours?
Joining the Office Hours platform is completely free. For some calls, there is a 5% platform fee and a 2.9% payment processing fee deducted from the rate (which you get to set).
- How do I get matched to consulting opportunities?
Once you create your Office Hours profile, clients can search for and request a call with you based on your knowledge areas, career history, and roles. For the best chance of getting matched to opportunities, make sure your work history is up to date and add knowledge tags that encompass the full range of tools, technologies, and specialties that you have experience with. Check out this blog post for more tips on optimizing your profile.
- How do consultations work?
Consultations are 30-60 minute phone calls about a particular topic. When a client requests a call with you, we'll send you an email with booking information and proposed times. If you decide to accept, we'll email you a calendar invite with details for joining the call via video or phone. When complete, we'll process your payment to the method of your choice.
- How does the Office Hours referral program work?
From the Invites page in your Office Hours account, copy and share your personalized referral URL. When anyone signs up using your URL and completes their first consultation, you’ll get $100 just for referring them.
- Who will I be consulting with?
Office Hours clients are generally professionals in the healthcare and technology sectors. Our partners include VC and PE investors, pharmaceutical companies, Fortune 500 firms, and startups who need specialized expertise to inform product development and decision-making. When a call is requested with you, you'll receive an email with the booking details, including the name and company of the client making the request.
- Do I need to prepare anything in advance?
Calls generally do not require any advance preparation, as questions are typically based around your experience and perspectives. In some cases, the client may send a pre-reading or share slides during the call for review.
- I’m concerned about confidentiality. How do I ensure I am not putting myself at risk by participating?
Prior to conducting a call, we encourage you to proactively check existing employment agreements, NDAs, and other agreements you may have in place with third-parties, to ensure you're not in violation of any of your obligations. Office Hours also has strict rules that restrict our clients and advisors from asking for or sharing material, non-public information. You are always within your right to decline to answer questions that you feel are too sensitive to discuss.
- Who can view my profile?
There are two profile visibility modes, which you can set from your profile page.
Public: Setting your profile to public increases your profile's discoverability, maximizing your earning potential. Users of Office Hours can find your profile via search results, project recommendations, and SEO. This maximizes your earning potential.
Private: Setting your profile to private will reduce your profile's discoverability. The only opportunities you will receive are concierge opportunities from the Office Hours team when working directly with one of our clients.
- The client requested me in incognito mode. What does that mean?
Some of our clients prefer to keep their identities private because they are evaluating a sensitive investment opportunity or their compliance department requires an added layer of anonymity to protect both parties from sharing sensitive information. In these cases, clients are legally unable to share their names, titles, or employers. This incognito feature is designed to increase security and is often standard in the financial services industry. If you receive a consultation request from an incognito client and you have any questions, please contact the Office Hours team.
- How do I get paid?
You have the option to be paid via PayPal, secure bank transfer, or a donation to any 501(c)3 charity of your choice. Once you complete a call, we'll immediately process your payment. Within a day or two, you'll receive an email from PayPal or Stripe confirming your payment is en route. If you have any issues with your payment, you can email support@officehours.com for prompt support.
- How long does it take to get paid?
Paypal payments are paid out within 3-4 hours and direct deposits in 2-3 days. International wire transfers can take up to a week.
- Do I need to deal with taxes?
Talk to your accountant to see what is relevant based on your personal situation. We send 1099’s to all advisors who earn $600 or more during each calendar year. We will need your W9 to issue you a 1099. If relevant, we will reach out and ask you to send us your W9 as we process our tax forms.
- How does the charity donation feature work?
When you join Office Hours, you can double your impact: share your expertise and donate a portion of your earnings to causes you care about most. This is powered by our integration with ShoppingGives, the leading social impact commerce platform and certified B Corp. When you set up your payment method, select Charity Donation and then choose the recipient organization and amount. Then add Paypal or Stripe for your personal payment. We'll process the donation and your payment after each call.