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They make it sound so easy. I'm holding down a full-time job and raising a son with my fiancee. I've only got 2.5 years experience programming, but I'm getting
by dsschnau 13y ago
They make it sound so easy. I'm holding down a full-time job and raising a son with my fiancee. I've only got 2.5 years experience programming, but I'm getting up an hour early to hack on side projects, hoping to get some of this mythical passive income that people talk about like its so easy.
I can code/debug for a corporate in my sleep but creating entire products on one's own is a whole different ball game. I'm tired of these articles making it sound _so easy_.
- jmduke 13y agoI'd say two things: 1. You've touched on the hardest part about consulting/side projects. The idea of freedom to code on whatever you want to is slightly shrouded in myth because so little of it has to do with code: marketing, bizdev, and even accounting/forecasting are all handled by you, the VP of Marketing and CFO of Dsschnau, Inc. It's like exercising a muscle group for the first time: it's incredibly difficult, but you get much better at it much quicker than you expect. (You also get a new level of appreciation for all those silly marketing types.) 2. Any post about financial/personal freedom is generally geared towards a early-20's male hacker who doesn't have a family to support. It's an entirely different ball game: the value proposition suddenly gets a lot more complex than "welp, if I can't sell X subscriptions/bill out for $Y I guess I'm eating ramen this month.'
- mkrecny 13y agoOP here - totally agree with both, and sorry that my posts thus far haven't acknowledged that the focus shifts so drastically from programming to marketing, bizdev, accounting etc. It certainly does and it can be really rewarding. Also regarding #2 - yes ... I'm 25 and male.
- dsschnau 13y agoThanks for the validation on this. I suppose it is easier without other responsibilities.