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Ask HN: How Did You Escape 9 to 5?

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Re: Ask HN: How Did You Escape 9 to 5?

#61

Post by jackfrodo »

blowski wrote: post #17
kowdermeister wrote: post #8

I'm just opting in the 9-5 :) Not everybody has what it takes to run a business. I'll do two things: - Build and MVP and try to find paying customers. Once the money is flowing in, I might take a venture again into the startup world. - Use a few hours / day to build the thing and start to look for a business co-founder.

Agreed - I actually _like_ 9-5. It's nice to have a break now and again, but I like daily routine of going to an office, seeing colleagues, etc.

Exactly. And I read earlier on here that for lots of companies, for each year you've been at a company you can do a remote day a week. Sounds perfect to me.

Re: Ask HN: How Did You Escape 9 to 5?

#62

Post by adamcharnock »

Put simply: Being in control of my own time, day rate, and outgoings.

I grew up in a very entrepreneurial environment, so after university I took a full-time job for 12 months (as a junior dev) then went freelance. I started cheap and upped my rate by £50 for every new project I took.

During the 10 years I've been freelancing I also came up with my quality of life ratio, which is: How long does it take me to earn a month's rent? This balances both increasing my day rate with reducing my outgoings. It currently takes me 4 hours to earn a month's rent.

I currently work for around 3 months per year, which gives me cash to spare. I also live in a communal warehouse. I had to build my own bedroom (which now looks awesome), but rent + communal food + bills comes out at about 1/2 - 1/3 what most would pay.

I've also spent a few years running my own startups during this time. None were what I would call successful, but neither did any afford me the quality of life that freelancing does.

I loose around 50% - 75% of prospective work because I'm too expensive, but that is fine and something I account for. I also have a number of more junior developer friends I can field this work off to.

With my free time (and funds) I'm currently working on setting up a community in rural Portugal.

Re: Ask HN: How Did You Escape 9 to 5?

#63

Post by infinite8s »

csallen wrote: post #48

I did remote contract front-end development for about 3 years. Working contracts gave me a TON of flexibility to work on my own projects on the side. I also tried to take high-paying contracts and save as much money as I could. When my last contract ended, I had enough money in the bank to survive for ~18 months without another paycheck, even while paying rent in SF. Currently, I'm about 9 months into that. I've work…

IndieHackers looks really nice, although it would be useful to have the interviews dated to see how recent they are.

Re: Ask HN: How Did You Escape 9 to 5?

#64

Post by csallen »

infinite8s wrote: post #63
csallen wrote: post #48

I did remote contract front-end development for about 3 years. Working contracts gave me a TON of flexibility to work on my own projects on the side. I also tried to take high-paying contracts and save as much money as I could. When my last contract ended, I had enough money in the bank to survive for ~18 months without another paycheck, even while paying rent in SF. Currently, I'm about 9 months into that. I've work…

IndieHackers looks really nice, although it would be useful to have the interviews dated to see how recent they are.

Good point, will add dates soon!

Re: Ask HN: How Did You Escape 9 to 5?

#65

Post by csallen »

codegeek wrote: post #56
csallen wrote: post #48

I did remote contract front-end development for about 3 years. Working contracts gave me a TON of flexibility to work on my own projects on the side. I also tried to take high-paying contracts and save as much money as I could. When my last contract ended, I had enough money in the bank to survive for ~18 months without another paycheck, even while paying rent in SF. Currently, I'm about 9 months into that. I've work…

I have been watching indiehackers since you shared on HN. It looks really good and high quality stuff. Another bookmark for me as I obsess with the various products being shared and their stories. The revenue transparency is an icing on the cake :)

Sweet, I'd love to hear your feedback/ideas sometime! @csallen

Re: Ask HN: How Did You Escape 9 to 5?

#66

Post by codegeek »

sliverstorm wrote: post #59
codegeek wrote: post #2

My story. I worked my ass off for 10+ years, saved a little bit of extra cash after paying off most loans and then bought an online business that I was interested in. I tried doing both for 2 months in parallel. One day I woke up and said "F*k this. I am done. Gotta quit". I then went to my boss and gave him the notice. I did calculate my risks as the business was just bringing in enough to keep me floating (with 2 k…

How does wife like it now? Is she happier despite the income disparity, or has it been a permanent sacrifice she has made for your happiness?

It is mixed feelings. She is happy that we are now close to the income we wanted even though progress has been slower than expected. Every once in a while, she does question if I did the right thing. Mind you though. Our expenses were very high when I quit. We got accustomed to a certain lifestyle back then and never had to think too much about money. That has changed but it does not mean we are poor. She is practical and smart and sees the long term benefit for all of us, not just me. Without her support, I would not be able to do it easily. No questions about it.

Re: Ask HN: How Did You Escape 9 to 5?

#67

Post by magic_beans »

cylinder wrote: post #42
vi1rus wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I actually agree. I have come to realize that 9 to 5 is not horrible, the key is self-fulfillment and happiness. For most people they will be unhappy regardless of the state of finances or work they do. I realize that even if I have my own business it does not mean I won't have to deal with things I don't like. What attracts me though is the financial independence, having control of my future instead of someone else…

For me, it's control. I cannot stand idiot managers making decisions that have such a significant impact on my life. Everything from major, broad issues down to where my desk is located and the temperature of the office and when I have to be in. You will still have to work everyday full-time, probably more, and have different stresses, but I cannot fork over my autonomy to others in exchange for a paycheck.

I am very similar. I recently started a cushy dev job at a big company, and the micro-management, bureaucracy, and office politics drove me into a pretty deep depression, to the point where I began to utterly dread coming into work. I quit after two months and now I'm taking two months off to work on personal projects...

I haven't truly escaped 9-5, but I'm finally excited to wake up in the morning again.

Re: Ask HN: How Did You Escape 9 to 5?

#68

Post by TYPE_FASTER »

rloc wrote: post #44

I was employed by a big US tech company in France (8+ years). I left a few months ago to grow my own startup. I've been working on the side project for 3 years before that. It's a SaaS web + mobile app. I worked on this project in my spare time (nights and sometimes during weekends). It was solving a problem that I was dealing with personally and I bet I was not the only one. The great thing with a side project is th…

> France give you the opportunity to continue to earn something like 70% of your previous revenue (estimation, there are calculations rules) for 2 years in the case you create a new business.

lolwut, that's pretty awesome.

Re: Ask HN: How Did You Escape 9 to 5?

#69

Post by louhike »

TYPE_FASTER wrote: post #68
rloc wrote: post #44

I was employed by a big US tech company in France (8+ years). I left a few months ago to grow my own startup. I've been working on the side project for 3 years before that. It's a SaaS web + mobile app. I worked on this project in my spare time (nights and sometimes during weekends). It was solving a problem that I was dealing with personally and I bet I was not the only one. The great thing with a side project is th…

> France give you the opportunity to continue to earn something like 70% of your previous revenue (estimation, there are calculations rules) for 2 years in the case you create a new business. lolwut, that's pretty awesome.

Yes. I know a lot of people who were able to launch their company thanks to that.

Re: Ask HN: How Did You Escape 9 to 5?

#70

Post by codegeek »

malux85 wrote: post #36

It was just brute force. I worked every evening, every weekend, on the tube on the way to and from the office. During my lunch hours. My coworkers knew not to interrupt me during lunch, because I always took a sandwich to the same desk, put my headphones on, and worked. Have you seen that comic "You must burn", that's exactly it. It's painful, there's moments of crippling self doubt, there's moments when you'd rather…

Good for you and thx for sharing. I like the "brute force" aspect. That is what I tell a lot of my friends as well who really want to do it. There is no formula. There is never a right time (except some basic planning). JFDI
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