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Ask HN: Work 15 hours/month Earn 100K USD/Year...now what?

7 points by dablue ↗ HN
DEAR HACKER NEWS:

5 years ago, I was lucky enough to start a non-public SAAS for a large global company. Before I showed up, they were doing things manually, spending > hundreds of man hours per month and outsourcing totaling 200K USD/year.

After working like crazy the first two years, pulling all-nighters and automating everything as much as possible, I've shrunk their entire workforce down to 1 person (myself) and after a lot of optimizations now I only work ~15 hours a month earning 100K USD/year.

What they get is better quality than before, 10 times faster turnaround, and their budget slashed in half. Not to mention all their internal staff and facilities are free to work on other things.

I tried approaching potential clients in their same niche market. But it seems like the other players don't specialize in this area as much as the biggest player.

So I've concluded this is a deadend road for me, this task is at 100% optimization, effiency, and quality. But I find no use for this core technology in any other area except for this one company.

So I'm sitting on my ass and earning a good yearly pay while doing nearly basically nothing. What worries me is what should I be doing now?

P.S. No vacations to pat myself on the back, cuz basically it's a vacation at home for me everyday... and it's been like this for quite a while so I'm getting bored. I'm eager to work like the first two years and getting excited again... it's a rush for me to encounter a complex problem but to find a simple elegant solution. I find the process of writing code and learning new technologies enjoyable also. Especially when you're not sure and testing things out and suddenly IT WORKS!

Sincerely, DOING NOTHING AT HOME (for now)

12 comments

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elliottcarlson
You obviously have plenty of time available - so why not find ways to simplify what you have done and make it less targeted and thus being of broader appeal to other similar companies. Other options would be find other types of niches that you would give you that same excitement - your time is available so you wouldn't be losing out at all by experimenting with cool new projects.
dablue
Thanks. Actually, another option I'm leaning towards is to temporarily get out of the computer biz all together and try something entireley new. The only way to find new technological discoveries is to go out in the real world again and see what kind of real world problems exist. The same way how biologists need to go out into nature to find new species and learn from interesting animal behaviors.

For example, if I were to apply to become a pizza delivery man, I'll find ways to simplify and optimize the traditional delivery process. Then when I open my own pizza store, I'll have the most efficient pizza delivery system, maybe this will be the killer service that will bring down Dominos and Pizza Hut.

So if you see a pizza delivery dude next time, maybe it'll be me... ;-)

aDemoUzer
Been a pizza delivery guy myself and there is not much to optimize since the core problem is delivery, which requires you to get in car, drive to location, give the pizza, get money and drive back. It is only when you have multiple deliveries do you have opportunity to optimize your path of travel on the basis of traffic and distance between the delivery places.
mapster
but there any many inefficiencies.
hallmark
Just because you have so much leeway, don't be sloppy in your choice of what to do with your free time. [1]

For example, if you're actually considering the pizza delivery scheme, first research the maximal amount of efficiency that you would possibly be able to add to the system. Then decide if it is worth pursuing. This does not apply if you are passionate about delivering pizzas!

[1] Consider deliberate choice to be general advice for those with lots of time and the goal of doing something substantive. Or if you are young, newly graduated, and thinking about jumping into a startup with some friends.

jacquesm
Can you diversify into other niches?
dablue
No, what I developed for 5 years is non-transferable to other industries/niches. If I were to go into other industries/niches, I would have to start from zero again. What I stumbled upon is a niche within a niche. And the core tech is useless outside of the 1st niche. (if that makes any sense)
guynamedloren
So you make $100k a year working 15 hours a week, and you're worried...? Something is wrong here. I think you're asking the wrong people for advice. We should be the ones asking you for advice.
dablue
Correction: Make that 15 hours per month, equivalent to approx. 4 hours per week.

I have no special formula, I was just fully prepared with all the right skills at the right place at the right time and worked my ass off.

Actually, I'm more worried about not having a backup 2nd income.

I'm not sure if I should continue in the web startup / IT world. Seems like everyone is getting into this bandwagon, maybe it's time to jump off this wagon and try something entirely new...

pasbesoin
Live relatively cheaply and save. If you don't find something else before this revenue stream starts to dry up, you will at least have savings with which to fund the incredible burst of energy/motivation you feel when things do start to dry up! (Said lightly, but something to think seriously about doing.)

Don't skimp on experience, though. Keep finding more of it, until the next thing clicks. (Wherever that might be. Maybe you'll find the next great cookie recipe. Experience (experiences) come in all shapes and sizes.)

_0ffh
Find a goal, and pursue it! =)