Single person business

A New Year - A New Application

Other developers may not experience this, but for me it seems that leading up to the end of a year I become very busily engaged in “tidying up” or putting some “finishing touches” on an application (or two) that I’ve been working on.  Then, as the New Year begins, I find myself in somewhat of a lull - perhaps looking at what’s next, evaluating the previous year’s work, or if I’m lucky - even being able to work on a project for myself!  That is what I’ve been doing to start 2009.

After spending so much time in the past months with maintaining and “tweaking” existing applications I have been able to actually start an application “from scratch”, and it has been wonderful!  My development environment of choice, Visual Dataflex (VDF), is in pre-release of its latest version and I have begun working with their latest pre-release distribution and have been using it for my “new” application - which is designed 100% for my personal purposes.  (I’ve decided that this developer is going to give himself the gift of a streamlined custom program for record-keeping, something he’s not particularly efficient at, and generally dislikes!)

In doing this I have been able to learn how to use new features provided in VDF, and also have been able to free myself of my “old ways” which were developed through years of using Dataflex.  I have found this experience to be a great opportunity to “think” in ways that I haven’t in the past, ways that will help me become a better developer producing better applications more quickly. 

As an independent developer it is always a challenge to take time for learning “outside the box” of an existing application.  There is always a tradeoff when considering “billable” hours vs “learning” hours.  During these difficult economic times some developers may find that they just do not have the work they would like to have, and I’d suggest that they take some time to “play” as a way of learning.  There is so much to learn, and so little time to do it!

Goodbye to 2008

I don’t know about you, but this year has simply flown by for me!  It has been a year of challenges personally as well as professionally, I guess that means I’m “normal” after all

At the close of each year I truly like to take a look back at where I was at the start of the year, and where I am as the year closes.  At the close  of last year I posted A Developers New Year Resolutions  never thinking at the time that it would be useful a year later to look back at it, but it has been.  The year started off with a bang, and I was genuinely embracing each of the resolutions and taking them on with enthusiasm.

In May, however, my personal “life” had to take front and center as the result of a family medical issue.  The resulting detour was immense, taking its toll physically as well as emotionally.  Some residual effects linger as the year closes, although they have nowhere near the impact as that period from May through October had. 

As an independent developer and basically single person business such an event has significant consequences.  There is a hugh impact in ones ability to service customers well — an absolute priority to me.  I certainly wasn’t ready for the energy drain it would take on me.

As for my resolutions — for most I grade myself at a C or C+ for the year.  Not by nature being a planner, I grade myself as a “D” however.  My resolution list said “I Will Plan” — testing — my work.  Shortcuts were taken with my testing on agreement of my major client who themselves picked up on testing more thoroughly than usual, knowing that I was shortcutting.  That was a situation that we made work.

Goodbye 2008!  Thanks for the memories!  I’m looking ahead to 2009 embracing those same resolutions I posted a year ago!

Independent Development Business

My work day started today with the usual quick scan through the multitude of emails that I receive daily.  I have always found this activity a gentle way to start my day (which generally begins somewhere between 5:30 and 6:30 AM).  I’ve also found that at times my attention is directed to particularly poignant articles relating to some facet of my business as an independent software developer.  This mornings find is just such an article.

My find?  “The myth of being successfully solo in business” is a brief article that caught my eye and started me thinking about just how dependent an “independent” software developer is.  Let me explain a bit without (hopefully) you not reading the linked article.

The article explores what is described as “…the myth of the successful solopreneur…”, and explores also how “…we can’t do it ourselves”.  Now, THAT is something I’ve realized over and over again through my years as an independent software developer!  However, my memory gets pretty short with certain learning I’ve noticed, and especially when faced with this myth!

The impossibility of doing all the things yourself that are provided for you when you are an employee seems to escape many of us self-employed, and often we think we’re some kind of super human who CAN do it!  I’ve personally had one of those reminders recently as the result of my wife’s broken ankle back in mid May.  Since the time of her injury, ALL of the household responsibilities AND the income producing responsibilities have been on my shoulders. 

Fortunately, I don’t have an office out of the home that I have to go to - but I do have the occasional visit required to my local customers.  All of these activities have at times been very much overwhelming — and certainly indicative that I “can’t do it” solo.  Through this period I have met with exceptional understanding from my clients and considerable help with meals prepared by friends and shared with us.

While what I refer to above might seem more personal than business related, I call it to your attention in light of the referenced article, and as another indication that being an independent software developer still requires others.  Professionally I’m a part of the Northeast Dataflex Consortium, a dedicated group of professional developers who support each other in many ways.  Those of us who are independent software developers are also dependent upon our vendors, customers AND indeed all of those around us in some way.