Ask HN: Work 15 hours/month Earn 100K USD/Year...now what? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Work 15 hours/month Earn 100K USD/Year...now what?

#11

Post by hallmark » Sat, Jan 22, 2011, 6:01 PM UTC

dablue wrote: post #3

elliottcarlson wrote: post #2

You obviously have plenty of time available - so why not find ways to simplify what you have done and make it less targeted and thus being of broader appeal to other similar companies. Other options would be find other types of niches that you would give you that same excitement - your time is available so you wouldn't be losing out at all by experimenting with cool new projects.

Thanks. Actually, another option I'm leaning towards is to temporarily get out of the computer biz all together and try something entireley new. The only way to find new technological discoveries is to go out in the real world again and see what kind of real world problems exist. The same way how biologists need to go out into nature to find new species and learn from interesting animal behaviors. For example, if I w…

Just because you have so much leeway, don't be sloppy in your choice of what to do with your free time. [1]

For example, if you're actually considering the pizza delivery scheme, first research the maximal amount of efficiency that you would possibly be able to add to the system. Then decide if it is worth pursuing. This does not apply if you are passionate about delivering pizzas!

[1] Consider deliberate choice to be general advice for those with lots of time and the goal of doing something substantive. Or if you are young, newly graduated, and thinking about jumping into a startup with some friends.

Re: Ask HN: Work 15 hours/month Earn 100K USD/Year...now what?

#12

Post by mapster » Sat, Jan 22, 2011, 8:16 PM UTC

aDemoUzer wrote: post #10

dablue wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks. Actually, another option I'm leaning towards is to temporarily get out of the computer biz all together and try something entireley new. The only way to find new technological discoveries is to go out in the real world again and see what kind of real world problems exist. The same way how biologists need to go out into nature to find new species and learn from interesting animal behaviors. For example, if I w…

Been a pizza delivery guy myself and there is not much to optimize since the core problem is delivery, which requires you to get in car, drive to location, give the pizza, get money and drive back. It is only when you have multiple deliveries do you have opportunity to optimize your path of travel on the basis of traffic and distance between the delivery places.

but there any many inefficiencies.

Re: Ask HN: Work 15 hours/month Earn 100K USD/Year...now what?

#13

Post by pasbesoin » Sun, Jan 23, 2011, 7:42 PM UTC

dablue wrote: post #7

guynamedloren wrote: post #5

So you make $100k a year working 15 hours a week, and you're worried...? Something is wrong here. I think you're asking the wrong people for advice. We should be the ones asking you for advice.

Correction: Make that 15 hours per month, equivalent to approx. 4 hours per week. I have no special formula, I was just fully prepared with all the right skills at the right place at the right time and worked my ass off. Actually, I'm more worried about not having a backup 2nd income. I'm not sure if I should continue in the web startup / IT world. Seems like everyone is getting into this bandwagon, maybe it's time t…

Live relatively cheaply and save. If you don't find something else before this revenue stream starts to dry up, you will at least have savings with which to fund the incredible burst of energy/motivation you feel when things do start to dry up! (Said lightly, but something to think seriously about doing.)

Don't skimp on experience, though. Keep finding more of it, until the next thing clicks. (Wherever that might be. Maybe you'll find the next great cookie recipe. Experience (experiences) come in all shapes and sizes.)