Ask HN: I just got laid off. Now what?
I've been kicking around the idea of attempting to start my own business, but don't know if I have the technical foundation. As some background, I've been working as a PHP developer for the last year or so. Before that, I had no programming experience, although I've always been fairly technical. I got a Microsoft certification my Freshman year of High School.
I've been through fairly great pains to educate myself though, and shortly after I started programming for a living, I picked up SICP and read through it and did all of the exercises. It greatly improved my skills, and since then I've digested a good number of programming books. While I feel I have a strong theoretical background (ish), I've not taken on any major projects. Most of the work I've done over this last year has been maintenance on an already completed accounting/shipping/receiving etc... system. I haven't had too much time to pursue projects other than working through books like SICP and a few other textbooks like "Concepts, Techniques, and Models of Computer programming" as I am also a full time student as well as a competitive pianist. I was also working full time.
Financially, I am neither in a good place or bad. I already freelance successfully, and even without my full time job, on average my freelancing covers about 1.5 times my monthly expenses (about 800 dollars.) I'll have a few grand set aside when I leave at the end of this month.
I have some experience using several frameworks and have implemented trivial projects in Django, Rails and Seaside. (Seaside was by far my favorite.) However, I am very lacking in my understanding of lower level computing details as well as systems administration (non-existent.)
I'm also 19, I don't say this to try and impress you, but I've encountered a fair bit of ageism working in technology. I think I'm competent, but a lot of people don't seem to be willing to give me a fair shake because of my age, or aren't willing to compensate me fairly. (I don't make outrageous demands). As an example, I was being paid less than 15 dollars an hour to do full time web development. I was happy with this because the environment was great, I had an office, dual monitors and a beast of a machine, so I felt pretty taken care of.
I guess my dilemma is this. Do I attempt to start a business or do I continue educating myself and freelance to pay the bills? Regardless of what I choose, I will still be a full-time student...
28 comments
[ 3.6 ms ] story [ 70.6 ms ] threadhttp://www.expatsoftware.com/articles/2008/05/laid-off-one-t...
If you can do freelance work from anywhere in the world, then this advice is doubly true.
Don't let budget constraints deter you, particularly if you are able to get some freelance income whilst travelling. You'd be surprised how inexpensive it can be provided you're comfortable in low standard accommodation.
Also, besides myself, Eli Bendersky has. He's written all the answers in an informative blog.
The great thing about freelance is that you can do it whenever YOU choose! If you decide to take a few weeks off from freelancing to study for final exams, you can do it. Running a business will not necessarily give you that flexibility.
Best of luck!
Although, you're probably right about the business thing being way more than full time. That's something I've been worried about.
The "correct" version refers to sharing booze between friends, but Kevin Rudd's version meant sharing a bottle of tomato sauce (or Ketchup as you would say) to put on a meat pie.
People made fun of him for being too damned "clean" - ie. was he so PG rated that he couldn't even allude to consuming alcohol?
I thought your "fair shake" may have been in reference to that.
It is never too late to start. ;)
Seriously: Don't work for $15 per hour. Learn what you need to learn in order to charge $75 per hour. Some of that may be technical, but I sense that a stumbling block is that you have not learned to ask for $75 per hour -- otherwise you would not be so "happy" with so little. Be less happy! Be pickier about your clients and make higher demands, of them and of yourself.
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=182369
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1880501
Starting business is not only about knowing what you want to do or how to do it , there is many factors you need to know before you start your own business, like business itself, law, finance and management.
Look for a good job in the same domain you want to start your business in and start planning your business accordingly, and try to get involved in everything required from you to succeed.
Having your goals set in early age is great.
Good luck.
My advice is:
1- Get your hands dirty in some sort of business, but don't waste all your savings.
2- Get into the market, talk to people and do some market studies, look for a niche in the market, try to start in a small jurisdiction and keep notes of everything.
3- Learn about all aspects of business, as I said before, law, finance and management. Some marketing skills, and work on your social skills.
4- Get some entrepreneurs friends, online and better in real life.
I know your concerns are mainly technical, but you've given us no idea of the type of business you're looking at starting. If your business idea is good enough and you think you can deliver then yes, I'd say go for it. As a single founder though I'd like to warn you that no matter how successful (or not) you get, it'll suck the life out of you like a vampire, so make sure it's something you're going to enjoy beforehand.
I'm a competent programmer, it's just the auxiliary skills that are really lacking...
I'm basically the same age (turning 19 in April) and doing contract work for $85 per hour right now (still in high school), but I have a job offer at a well-funded startup down here (Texas) that will pay a $105k salary as a senior software engineer once I graduate in the spring.
By allowing others to take advantage of you, you're supporting their ageism. Being great for cheap is detrimental to everyone. Either be bad and cheap or be expensive and awesome, proving in both cases that you get what you paid for regardless of age.
(Anonymous in case the company and/or my contracting clients who are paying more than $85 per hour are reading this.)
There are opportunities out there, and at the end of the day it's all just life experience. Focus on doing something you enjoy!