I am a software engineer - how to take to next step

[Huz]

I am a software engineer, specialising in mobile apps. I have started businesses but have failed, how do you start a business with tech and make it impactful and successful?  It seems hard as an engineer, am I down the wrong path?

 

[impulse9]

Just work at it until you're good enough. At that point you'll know what to do. I know this sounds like vague advice but it's actually the best advice possible. In the tech world, skill is all. Too many bullshitters try to make it without putting in the work. If you're skilled, jobs find you, not the other way around.

[Huz]

6 minutes ago, impulse9 said:

Just work at it until you're good enough. At that point you'll know what to do. I know this sounds like vague advice but it's actually the best advice possible. In the tech world, skill is all. Too many bullshitters try to make it without putting in the work. If you're skilled, jobs find you, not the other way around.

I am good enough to get paid well. But to start a biz and escape wage slavery is what I am after. I love programming for me and my ideas not for other people. But my ideas arent kicking off

[LastThursday]

Software engineering is hard. Running a succesful business is hard.

Most self-employed software engineers I know simply hire out their services and normally get longer term contracts if they click with a particular customer - so that's one route.

If you're in the app space then you either you have to carve out a niche for yourself, or you have to beat the competition, on price, on design, on functionality and so on. If you're a one-man-band then that will require a lot of hours grinding away and some amount of luck that your product will get noticed. It's possible to do, but it needs lots of love and time.  You need patience, stamina and lots of in-depth knowledge. Saying that, software updates are de rigeur, so you have scope for refinement and improvement over time, and people will accept that. That means working on several products at a time, say three, is a good way to go to spread the risk (you're gambling time and money and reputation). Start off very simple and find a niche and build up over time.

You really have to do a bit of market research to find out what's popular or what people want, and then find that niche to settle into.

In terms of running a business you either pick it up as you go along, or take some sort of introductory course to get your feet wet.

[Huz]

11 hours ago, LastThursday said:

Software engineering is hard. Running a succesful business is hard.

Most self-employed software engineers I know simply hire out their services and normally get longer term contracts if they click with a particular customer - so that's one route.

If you're in the app space then you either you have to carve out a niche for yourself, or you have to beat the competition, on price, on design, on functionality and so on. If you're a one-man-band then that will require a lot of hours grinding away and some amount of luck that your product will get noticed. It's possible to do, but it needs lots of love and time.  You need patience, stamina and lots of in-depth knowledge. Saying that, software updates are de rigeur, so you have scope for refinement and improvement over time, and people will accept that. That means working on several products at a time, say three, is a good way to go to spread the risk (you're gambling time and money and reputation). Start off very simple and find a niche and build up over time.

You really have to do a bit of market research to find out what's popular or what people want, and then find that niche to settle into.

In terms of running a business you either pick it up as you go along, or take some sort of introductory course to get your feet wet.

Thanks man, yeah that is true. It seems like you get good play for free lancing or working contract jobs choose the work you want to do. Thats a good option if my biziz keep failing