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> The most passionate software engineers I know might be able to claim similar joy, but they have overwhelmingly quit their corporate gigs and fly solo. I have

by Swizec 2y ago

> The most passionate software engineers I know might be able to claim similar joy, but they have overwhelmingly quit their corporate gigs and fly solo. I have done the solo thing and have come to realize I much prefer coding for others. There’s just too much annoying bullshit in running a business and I don’t need to deal with almost any of that as an employee despite getting basically all the same freedom, impact, and influence as a high level engineer. There’s even a point where things switch from your boss telling you what to do to your boss asking you what to do.

8f2ab37a-ed6c 2y ago
Agreed. Managing, fundraising, legal, roadmaps, payroll, hiring, sales, marketing, customer support etc. If you're a coder running a company, it's likely you might not get to code at all, or ever again if you're very successful. I wouldn't do my own business if my hope was to be more hands-on with software dev unless you find a partner to whom you outsource all of the above, but now you're back to the situation where you don't have full control anymore. If you're happy with not having a bigger slice of the pie, it's easier to just focus on SWE as an employee and let someone else figure out all of the other stuff unless you really crave the company building aspect.
- Swizec 2y ago
  > If you're happy with not having a bigger slice of the pie Not to mention a smaller slice of a way bigger pie can still be a lot bigger in absolute terms. With much lower risk.
  - 8f2ab37a-ed6c 2y ago
    Indeed.
pdimitar 2y ago
> There’s even a point where things switch from your boss telling you what to do to your boss asking you what to do. How? Actionable step by step, please. Measurable, with before-and-after descriptions.
- kevinventullo 2y ago
  Step 1. Figure out how to accomplish higher-level goals where the details haven’t been fleshed out yet. Step 2. If you are still relying on steps, you did not actually complete Step 1.
  - pdimitar 2y ago
    Is this referring to the mythical "go above and beyond and you will be recognized"? If so, quite humorous.

by Swizec 2y ago

8f2ab37a-ed6c 2y ago

Agreed. Managing, fundraising, legal, roadmaps, payroll, hiring, sales, marketing, customer support etc. If you're a coder running a company, it's likely you might not get to code at all, or ever again if you're very successful. I wouldn't do my own business if my hope was to be more hands-on with software dev unless you find a partner to whom you outsource all of the above, but now you're back to the situation where you don't have full control anymore. If you're happy with not having a bigger slice of the pie, it's easier to just focus on SWE as an employee and let someone else figure out all of the other stuff unless you really crave the company building aspect.

Swizec 2y ago
> If you're happy with not having a bigger slice of the pie Not to mention a smaller slice of a way bigger pie can still be a lot bigger in absolute terms. With much lower risk.
- 8f2ab37a-ed6c 2y ago
  Indeed.

pdimitar 2y ago

> There’s even a point where things switch from your boss telling you what to do to your boss asking you what to do. How? Actionable step by step, please. Measurable, with before-and-after descriptions.

kevinventullo 2y ago
Step 1. Figure out how to accomplish higher-level goals where the details haven’t been fleshed out yet. Step 2. If you are still relying on steps, you did not actually complete Step 1.
- pdimitar 2y ago
  Is this referring to the mythical "go above and beyond and you will be recognized"? If so, quite humorous.