I love programming. I like to solve big complicated problems. Especially when there is a purpose, such as making money or helping a loved one.
My love of problem solving is one of the reasons that I have evolved to become a Solopreneur. It lets me indulge my passion for software design and programming. I don’t have to let other people have all the fun.
I’ve observed what it takes to become the successful leader of a growing company. You have to spend time on it. You spend a lot of time on people – recruiting, evaluating, meeting with, seeking out opinions from, and sometimes firing.
I like to have a certain amount of alone time each day. When I can concentrate with no distractions, and think about the problem at hand. Maybe I need to break a larger problem into smaller parts. Maybe I am writing code to solve one of those parts. Maybe I am researching new stuff, or trying to find a bug. This is how I get my jollies. I get up early most mornings to make sure I get my quota of alone time, even in the midst of deadlines and scrambling for cash.
I also like to help people. I get a genuine kick out of doing something for someone else. But I’d rather sit back and let them come to me rather than to seek them out. Doing customer support is a natural outlet for this aptitude and desire.
Solopreneur as software developer can make for some very happy customers, because the developer is forced to face the music if he gets things wrong. There is no bureaucracy involved in the decision making. The disadvantage is that it is just one person, and it is hard to get everything done. As cash flow improves, certain tasks can be sub-contracted out without compromising product quality. The competition fields teams of dozens and hundreds of developers. Being close to the customer is your only chance at competitive advantage. Walking in your customers’ shoes, solving the right problem, and all that.
Here is the other part of my Solopreneur strategy: finding other Solopreneurs who can be close to their customers. Other Solopreneurs to automate and customize using the Automator and the financial modeling language built into SurvivalWare. If I can teach other people to do what I do, and make them efficient and productive, I extend my market and reach exponentially without having to hire people and build a real company.
A modeler with some special industry knowledge can tackle micro-markets the big guys just can’t afford to go after. This is the promise of SurvivalWare – for the Solopreneurs (including myself) who deliver their expertise in the form of models and applets, and for their clients who reap the benefits of specialized software without having to shoulder the full burden of development.
There is an organization devoted to helping Solopreneurs called the International Association of Solopreneurs (http://www.solopreneurs.org). I was interviewed by the founder, Donna Amos, earlier today, and I checked out the website. Some great resources for entrepreneurs, whether flying solo or not. But watch out for the interviews..
I came across a couple of goodies I really liked on her original website:
Are You Ready to Start Your Own Business? The 4 Key Questions You Must Ask
http://www.donnaamos.com/are-you-ready-to-start-your-own-business-the-4-key-questions-you-must-ask/
A white paper on the benefits of creating white papers
(you have to give her your name and email address to get the white paper, but it is well worth it)
http://www.donnaamos.com/?s=white+paper
Filed under: Sticking Up for the Little Guy | Tagged: IAS, Solopreneur, SurvivalWare | 1 Comment »