Thriving Technologist

Thinking of quitting the tech industry grind to start a profitable software business yourself? Before you take the plunge, don't make the same mistakes I did!

The secret to finding a profitable software idea, is that it must come from your customers. Unless you know a real pain that people who would use your software are experiencing, you can easily fool yourself into thinking it's good enough to build a software product business on.

In this episode, I share what I've learned about finding real software product ideas. I use a combination of IBISWorld, ChatGPT, and a book by Dane Maxwell to help my software development coaching clients discover software startup ideas.

IBISWorld Businesses  https://www.ibisworld.com/industry-statistics/number-of-businesses/

Start from Zero by Dane Maxwell https://www.amazon.com/Start-Zero-Business-Experience-Freedom/dp/1950367185

Join my Patreon:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/patreon

Learn about one-on-one career coaching with me: https://thrivingtechnologist.com/coaching

TechRolepedia, a wiki about the top 25 roles in tech:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/techroles

The Thriving Technologist career guide:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/guide

You can also watch this episode on YouTube. 

Chapter markers / timelinks:

(0:00) Introduction (1:42) Finding a Profitable Software Idea (1:54) 1. Select a Customer Market (2:50) 2. Determine How to Contact Customers (4:37) 3. Ask Customers for Their Biggest Problem (6:05) 4. Ask People Who Responded To Meet (7:03) 5. Ask Them 5 Questions (7:15) Make Sure You're On The Same Page (7:29) How Are You Solving It Today? (8:15) What Happens When You Don't Solve This Problem? (8:50) If You Could Wave a Magic Wand, How Would You Solve It? (9:36) Would You Pay for That Solution? How Much? (10:48) Identify Consistent Profitable Problems

Visit me at thrivingtechnologist.com

If you've ever been jealous of programmers who seem to write code faster than you - take heart. The myth of the "10x programmer" is misunderstood in many software teams and tech companies.

What's important to companies is NOT that you're actually 10x faster at writing code. It's that you help the company produce features 10 times faster. Wake up call - you're not the only member of the team!

Over my career, I've met software developers who come into companies and write code super fast - but end up slowing the project down. They bossed around the other junior developers and thought they were God's gift to programming. It was a real disaster.

Instead, use these 6 techniques I learned as a software consultant. They'll speed up the project, make you popular on your team, get results for your company - and actually make your tech job easier! Besides, what's more important: that you can write code fast, or that you can avoid writing more code in the first place?

Join my Patreon:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/patreon

Learn about one-on-one career coaching with me: https://thrivingtechnologist.com/coaching

TechRolepedia, a wiki about the top 25 roles in tech:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/techroles

The Thriving Technologist career guide:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/guide

You can also watch this episode on YouTube. 

Chapter markers / timelinks:

(0:00) Introduction (1:36) 6 Techniques Used By True 10x Programmers (1:50) 1. Technological Empathy (3:29) 2. Negotiate Streamlined Features (5:06) 3. Cross-Technical Insight (7:59) 4. Reject Ambiguity (9:42) 5. Minimize Architectural Complexity (11:53) 6. Document Innovation

Visit me at thrivingtechnologist.com

If you've ever been on a software project and you can't get your boss to listen, I've been there. Many of us are technical types, so we often think facts are enough to convince management to support us.

In this episode, I share 4 strategies I've used to actually get your boss to listen. These take some patience, but if you want to see real results - they do work.

No matter what tech job you work on, you'll eventually run into problems that can only be solved if you can win support from management. If you practice these strategies, they can unlock new opportunities in your career that few other professionals in IT ever get to experience.

Join my Patreon:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/patreon

Learn about one-on-one career coaching with me: https://thrivingtechnologist.com/coaching

TechRolepedia, a wiki about the top 25 roles in tech:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/techroles

The Thriving Technologist career guide:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/guide

You can also watch this episode on YouTube. 

Chapter markers / timelinks:

(0:00) Introduction (1:45) 4 Strategies to Influence Management  (1:58) 1. Frame Your Feedback in Terms of Impact (7:44) 2. Build Allies and Gain Support (10:51) 3. Choose Your Battles Wisely  (12:43) 4. Present Solutions in Steps

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Have you ever felt like your software project was doomed from the start, almost as if it were the plot of a bad movie? Well, if so, you're not alone. I've been through my share of nightmarish projects, but one in particular stands out. It involved shady characters, SWAT teams, and a project that was destined for disaster from the beginning. If you've ever felt like your software project was spiraling out of control, this story might make you feel a little better—or at least a little less alone.

Join my Patreon:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/patreon

Learn about one-on-one career coaching with me: https://thrivingtechnologist.com/coaching

TechRolepedia, a wiki about the top 25 roles in tech:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/techroles

The Thriving Technologist career guide:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/guide

You can also watch this episode on YouTube. 

Chapter markers / timelinks:

(00:00) Introduction (01:40) Part 1: Red Flags (10:44) Part 2: Turning a Blind Eye (17:10) Part 3: S$!t Hits The Fan (24:15) Part 4: The Fallout (30:58) Episode Groove

Visit me at thrivingtechnologist.com

LinkedIn is a great resource for connecting with people, but it can also cause serious mental health challenges - and even lead to burnout. If you're looking for a job or just trying to find customers, there are some features of LinkedIn that can ruin your personal peace and drive your anxiety through the roof.

In this episode I share some ways I've helped my tech career coaching clients avoid LinkedIn becoming a problem. Most of these center around avoiding comparing yourself to other people. As Gary Vaynerchuk famously recommends, "produce don't consume". If you follow some of the tips in this episode, you'll be able to responsibly use LinkedIn - and not let it use you!

Join my Patreon:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/patreon

Learn about one-on-one career coaching with me: https://thrivingtechnologist.com/coaching

TechRolepedia, a wiki about the top 25 roles in tech:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/techroles

The Thriving Technologist career guide:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/guide

You can also watch this episode on YouTube. 

Chapter markers / timelinks:

(0:00) Introduction  (1:16) 5 Ways to Keep Calm on LinkedIn (1:38) 1. Avoid Accomplishment Signals (4:08) 2. Use, Don't Consume (7:45) 3. Don't Engage Rage Bait (11:02) 4. Don't Attend Unjustified Meetings (14:19) 5. Keep Your Network Relevant

Visit me at thrivingtechnologist.com

Are you a programmer, or in any individual contributor tech role really? Considering switching into management? Be VERY careful. Most companies will not prepare you for what it takes to really be an effective manager. If you've ever been upset with a manager or felt like they weren't equipped to do their job, it's probably because they were promoted due to their success as an individual contributor - but weren't taught effective management techniques and strategies.

In this episode, I'd like to help you avoid being looked at as incompetent by other programmers or anyone in any software development role. You already know that programming and other tech jobs require intentional and ongoing study and improvement. Management is no different!

Join my Patreon:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/patreon

Learn about one-on-one career coaching with me: https://thrivingtechnologist.com/coaching

TechRolepedia, a wiki about the top 25 roles in tech:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/techroles

The Thriving Technologist career guide:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/guide

You can also watch this episode on YouTube. 

Chapter markers / timelinks:

(0:00) Introduction  (1:56) 5 Skills To Become a Great Manager (2:06) 1. Holding People Accountable (4:24) 2. Taking Responsibility for Others (8:45) 3. Making Yourself More Available (13:17) 4. Studying and Practicing Management (15:56) 5. Being an Incentives Translator

Visit me at thrivingtechnologist.com

If your tech career isn't what you want it to be, it could be a mild annoyance - or something urgent. Knowing how ready you are to actually make a change is important before you take any action that could change the course of your life and career.

When I started career coaching, I noticed sometimes tech professionals would come to me frustrated about their career but not really willing to change. After a while I began using motivational interviewing. This is a technique I use to help me figure out how ready someone is to really make a change in their tech career.

If you're thinking of getting a promotion, switching roles from perhaps programming to something like product management, UX, or data science; or looking to just find a better job - you should assess how urgent the change really is. In this episode I offer 5 stages of readiness for change along with symptoms you can experience at each of them. I hope this helps you know if your tech career is actually in a better place than you thought - or if it truly is time to make a change today!

Join my Patreon:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/patreon

Learn about one-on-one career coaching with me: https://thrivingtechnologist.com/coaching

TechRolepedia, a wiki about the top 25 roles in tech:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/techroles

The Thriving Technologist career guide:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/guide

You can also watch this episode on YouTube. 

Chapter markers / timelinks:

(0:00) Introduction  (1:06) 5 Stages of Readiness for Tech Career Change (1:16) 1. Contemplation (1:56) 2. Mild Irritation (2:30) 3. Active Exploration (3:41) 4. Serious Consideration (4:37) 5. Urgency and Desperation

Visit me at thrivingtechnologist.com

Today most tech companies engage in agile signaling - without even knowing it. They do nothing to make it easy to adapt to change, but put on a show to pretend they're agile.

Many software developers and other professionals in the industry, even those with long careers, have never been on project with a truly agile software development process. And so it's not uncommon to hear software engineers and project managers talk about how much they "hate agile" behind closed doors.

A select few understand what being agile really means. It means working together in a way where adapting to change is easy. For those unfortunate people, it can feel like gaslighting to work for these companies. Tech workers all over the industry are expressing more disgust with scrum and agile than ever. And when the SAFe, or "Scaled Agile Framework" arrived - it signaled a final nail in the coffin of many companies ever being able to realize the true benefits of being agile.

In this episode I'd like to help you understand two things. First, we we need agile development more than ever today. With the arrival of AI, software projects are getting disrupted faster than ever and need to adapt. And who knows what the future could bring! I'll also help you understand 4 key events in the history of the software industry that caused the definition of the word agile to essentially mean "anything BUT change"!

Join my Patreon:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/patreon

Learn about one-on-one career coaching with me: https://thrivingtechnologist.com/coaching

TechRolepedia, a wiki about the top 25 roles in tech:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/techroles

The Thriving Technologist career guide:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/guide

You can also watch this episode on YouTube. 

Chapter markers / timelinks:

(0:00) Introduction  (1:31) 1. Do We Even Need Agile Development? (1:37) 1.1 Inability To Respond To Market Change (3:55) 1.2 Over Budget and Late Projects (5:50) 2. 4 Key Events That Co-Opted Agile (6:16) 2.1 Burn-Down Charts and Velocity Tracking (9:21) 2.2 Jeff Sutherland's Book (12:47) 2.3 Agile Certifications  (15:51) 2.4 SAFe (Scaled Agile Framework) (21:12) Episode Groove

Visit me at thrivingtechnologist.com

Does programming ever get tiring? Are you frustrated by being left out of key decisions by the company? You may begin to wonder if you should become a manager.

In this episode I'd like to share 5 important considerations before switching from being a programmer to management. It's common advice that "all programmers must become managers eventually", and I don't agree with this.

There are many ways to grow in our career, and management is just one path. However, for some people it may be the perfect next step. I hope this episode helps you know what you're walking into before you take the step to become a manager.

Join my Patreon:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/patreon

Learn about one-on-one career coaching with me: https://thrivingtechnologist.com/coaching

TechRolepedia, a wiki about the top 25 roles in tech:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/techroles

The Thriving Technologist career guide:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/guide

You can also watch this episode on YouTube. 

Chapter markers / timelinks:

(0:00) Introduction  (1:13) 5 Signs It's Time to Switch to Management (1:32) 1. You're More Concerned with People than Technology (3:42) 2. You Want More Organizational Insight (5:37) 3. You Hate The Technical Interview Process (9:39) 4. You Want To Work Less Overtime (12:39) 5. You're Tired of Learning New Technology

Visit me at thrivingtechnologist.com

Many programmers are stuck in their career today, but they place the blame on everyone else. Yes, there are some difficult things going on in the tech industry. But one of the biggest reasons programmers stop growing, is they don't get help.

In this episode, I'd like to share the things I've learned after coaching over 100 software professionals that keep us from getting the help we need.

Join my Patreon:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/patreon

Learn about one-on-one career coaching with me: https://thrivingtechnologist.com/coaching

TechRolepedia, a wiki about the top 25 roles in tech:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/techroles

The Thriving Technologist career guide:  https://thrivingtechnologist.com/guide

You can also watch this episode on YouTube. 

Chapter markers / timelinks:

(0:00) Introduction (4:56) 6 Reasons Why Tech Workers Stay Stuck (5:06) 1. Skepticism of Marketing and Sales (8:28) 2. False Sense of Uniqueness (12:43) 3. Knowledge-Inflated Pride (14:45) 4. Fear of Relational Intimacy (17:10) 5. Internet Addiction and Distractions (20:57) 6. Opportunity Cost of Inaction

Visit me at thrivingtechnologist.com