Checking out Entreprogrammers
Update (10/28/2019)
In light of one of the podcaster’s disgusting behavior, I no longer support anything he produces.
Original post (6/6/14)
When I decided to start my own company last year I wasn’t really sure what to expect. Turns out, it’s a lot of work. 🙂 Aside from being a developer, I also need to play the role of marketer, accountant, salesman, recruiter and so on. It’s pulled me out of my comfort zone. Way out in some cases, and I don’t always have a clear path forward.
I recently stumbled on the Entreprogrammers podcast. Unlike a lot of other podcasts out there, this one isn’t chock full of tips or advice. It’s not “how to be an entrepreneur”. It’s just three developers, who I happen to respect, having a discussion about their respective entrepreneurship journeys. And while there aren’t any predetermined topics or specific areas of advice, I have found a lot of the content to be useful. I’ve picked up a lot just by listening to what these guys are doing.
They talk about their ups and downs, marketing strategies, approaches to product development and other topics that are relevant to a developer who is also trying to sell a product or service. It’s also relieving to hear that other people, in this case people who are much more well-known and much smarter than me, face similar successes and struggles.
If you’re a developer who is trying to build a product, sell a service, or build a brand, this is definitely worth checking out.
Today our IT admin presented his new “Resource Sharing Tool” using your phpscheduleit. I really like it a lots and I talked to myself, why can’t I spend some time to develop similar tool as well. I’m just a sw engr and wonder how I can switch from employee to entreprogrammer??? Not an easy task because I was not trained to be a successfully entrepreneur when I was in school, instead I focused too much on getting good grades and passing all my exams.
I have been searching for people with similar goals around my circle but most of them don’t share the same vision as me. It’s just too hard to go solo. I only have one simple question, how can someone make a living by develop Open Source Software these days?
Open source software provides passionate people many opportunities to earn money. It may be through the software itself, ancillary products like plugins, or professional services like support or custom development. If open source is your thing, I’d suggest getting involved in an existing project – everyone needs help, trust me 🙂