Finding Time To Be An EntraDeveloper
As a developer, I often find myself in search of time. Time to develop, time to research new technology, time sleep, and most importantly… time with my family. But where does time go? I personally only sleep maybe 5–6 hours a night, which leaves me with 18–19 hours to do whatever I want, right?
I might not speak for all developers, but I do believe that I speak for all developers that possess the entrepreneurial spirit, that ambition to build something great. You know who you are, constantly thinking about mobile app ideas, buying great domain names, and saving them for a rainy day, stacks of paper with data-models and application flow charts poorly sketched all over them. All of which never seem to get very far past conception.
Well I’m hear to tell you that this curse, this “need” to build something great, can end up being that “thing” that most defines you. But before it can define you, you need to learn how to control it. Think of it like training a lion, it’s a powerful beast that can destroy you if not you’re not careful. But how does one tame a lion? The owner of your company did it, but you can’t really expect them to tell you how. That would just be counter-productive, because lets face it, all you are to them is lion food.
So where do we begin? For me, it began about 12-months ago when I found out that I was going to be a father for the first time. I was extremely happy, and extremely nervous. The reality that I needed to step-up my game, and start thinking about my family’s future, just hit me like a ton of bricks. So I devised a plan, and I began to plant “seeds of opportunity” for myself.
I knew that my personal app portfolio was lacking. The only work I had to show for myself for the last 2-years had my employers name all over it. Morally, I didn’t feel comfortable toting these apps as something I had developed because I only played a part in a larger team effort. And not for nothing, I wanted to promote my own skills.
Step One — Get out and meet other people with similar interests. Not because you need friends, but because you need to fine-tune your social networking skills. Find a place that will open up your mind to the positive and negative experiences that others like you are going through. I find that Meetup.com groups work very well for this. You get to learn from local industry leaders, you get to network with others, and chances are you get free pizza.
Step Two — Validate your idea. I personally suffer from “I can build it better” syndrome. Any time I look at an app, I find myself looking for its flaws, and comparing the overall impact it will have for people. But this is just what people with lions do, we constantly look for ways to feed it. But before we can start working on that new app, we really need to validate its viability in the marketplace. Will people really find it as useful as you think they will? For me, I found validation by participating in a Startup Weekend event at JuiceTank back in the Spring of 2014. I pitched a rather humorous app idea to 100+ fellow attendees, and by the end of the weekend, my team and I received runner-up in a competition of roughly 20-startup ideas. To me, that was the proof that I was on to something. Another option for idea validation is the Lean Startup Machine.
Step Three — Get out of your comfort zone. Literally, if you want to work on a personal project, I highly recommend going some place where you can zone out. Some where free of distractions like a library, Starbucks, Panera Bread, or local co-working space. Take it from me, I have an office at home, but I also have a TV, a Baby, and a dog at home. I bit the bullet and got rid of my xBox 360, which was a major distraction. But that wasn’t enough. If the baby cries, I want to get up and help out, even though I know my wife can handle it, there’s a part of me that just wants to help her out. So for me, I found that getting out of the house, driving to a town I’ve never been too, and finding their library seems to do the job for me. I can literally walk in, setup my computer, put my headphones on, and code all day long with no distractions.
Step Four — Launch it fast. I have this personal goal of launching a new mobile app every month. In my opinion, the longer you sit on an app idea, the longer you have to talk yourself out of doing it. In my case, if I wait too long, new ideas come along, and I switch my focus. Before you know it, it’s been over a year, and you’ll have nothing to show for it. The key to launching an app quickly is to not over-think it. I like to use the Starbucks Mobile App as an example here. When you download the app, it serves 3-functions. Pay for Product | Review Rewards | Find a Startbucks. That’s it, no menu, no pricing, no blog or news feed. This is a perfect example of KISS.
To wrap this article up, I just want to say that this is why I created the Code Junkies. So I ask all of our members to enjoy the Holidays. Spend some time relaxing, and get ready for 2015. I plan on pushing monthly coding camps, and app competitions.
Happy Coding,
Jason @Code Junkies
Web | Meetup | LinkedIn | The Twitter | @jasonograves
