The Coder's Path to Wealth and Independence 2014 edition by Beckner, Mark (2014) Paperback

by Mark Beckner

Developers, programmers, technical architects, and You are highly skilled and have deep commitment to your craft as well as the motivation to excel. It’s time to step away from the perceived security of a full-time salaried position, or a marginally successful solo business, and step into a world of freedom, independence, and wealth. With your current technical skills, and an open mind, you can rapidly build a highly successful and ethical business—and on your own terms.The Coder's Path to Wealth and Independence explains how. Mark Beckner, himself, a highly successful itinerant developer, shows you how to transform yourself from a skilled programmer into a highly creative and effective businessperson leveraging the skills you already have. You will learn to create opportunities where none have existed, create value for yourself and those you work with, substantially increase your income, define your ideals, and realize your dreams. By utilizing the unique strategies outlined in The Coder's Path to Wealth and Independence to build your practice, you will find your path to personal, professional, and financial prosperity.The Coder's Path to Wealth and Independence will show you how Work from wherever you want Use your technical skills to create a high-revenue, highly independent businessLearn the skills of the "rainmaker" to acquire new projects and clientsOperate under various fee models, allowing you to increase your wealth and your freedomRapidly create proposals and contractsManage projects and execute on your goals with greater skill than everIn short, this book will help you discover a variety of powerful and unique approaches to business that will allow you be highly successful—where, how, and whenever you want.What you'll learnHow to take your technical skills and create a high revenue, highly independent business based on themHow to work from wherever you want, and stay in constant motion, on your terms How to create opportunities through unique approaches to client acquisition and advertisingHow to focus on self-mastery and discipline in order to create a thriving practiceHow to implement a powerful business model, tailored to solo developers and technical consultants, that enables you to work when, where, and how you wantWho this book is forCoders, architects, and technical consultants, and anyone in the world of technology all have the core skills required to follow this path to freedom and riches. This is a guide targeted at people who want to create and grow thriving and rewarding solo, technically focused practices.

Genres: Business

Paperback

First published November 20, 2014

Reviews

[Bryan Murdock · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book about how to start and run your own one-person business writing software. It was interesting because the details I thought I was looking for (how to register your business, how to negotiate a contract, how to create an invoice, etc.) was all there but given very few words. Keep it simple, was the main theme of it all. The bulk of the book was about positive thinking and not letting your worries and fears hold you back. If I'm completely honest with myself, if other software engineers (sorry, coders) are like me (and they are), this is exactly the kind of advice we need to help us leave the comfort of our corporate jobs and go it alone. We love to over-complicate things and get bogged down in details. Also, depressive, negative thinking is all too common among us. We are good at keeping in mind all the ways things that can go wrong. Keeping that all in mind helps us write solid, reliable software. Apparently that's not the way to approach starting a business though.

In the end, even though it wasn't what I expected, this is exactly what I needed to hear if I'm ever going to head down this path (still not sure, to be honest).

Part of the positive thinking that he talked about was having an Abundance Mentality. What that means is, believe and act as if there is plenty of work and money to go around. You don't really have competitors, because there is plenty of work for everyone. When you meet other consultants in your same field, make friends, help them out, send work their way. It's kind of a mind blowing concept, but I think I like it.

My quibbles with the book are that the order of chapters seemed all wrong. It feels like the chapter near the end about figuring out what your goals in life are should have been first, to give the rest of the book more context and meaning. Instead it opens with a chapter on the practicalities of business travel, as if that's the first thing you need to figure out. Maybe that's how he sucked me into this book that wasn't really about practicalities at all though? Hmm.

[Alan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting, inspiring and well-written.

[Aelena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Actually quite inspired. Much of the advice applies to anyone, not being specific to coding at all. Well written and concise.