Ask HN: How do I reach making $1-1.5k/mo in 13 months? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: How do I reach making $1-1.5k/mo in 13 months?

#161

Post by grwthckrmstr » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 3:50 PM UTC

I'm probably biased, but you can build a Shopify app and have a very, very high chance at earning $1k or $1.5k per month within 12 months.

Here's a list of ideas that I researched last year, if it helps.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Hnpcl1VAlPC9MuFvvsl2...

If you do decide to go this path, I've written a guide from my experience that might help you get things off the ground.

https://www.preetamnath.com/blog/shopify-micro-saas-growth

Whichever path you choose, all the very best!

Re: Ask HN: How do I reach making $1-1.5k/mo in 13 months?

#162

Post by abinaya_rl » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 3:56 PM UTC

- Pick an idea that people are already paying for.

- Talk to the users on a community or cold tweet or email them asking about the difficulties.

- Start solving the problems and onboard them as users

- Pitch other users with the same problem

- Charge them upfront, don't give it away for free

Re: Ask HN: How do I reach making $1-1.5k/mo in 13 months?

#163

Post by frodopwns » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 3:57 PM UTC

Most devs lack actual proof of the ability to deliver when under their own supervision. I would choose a tech that is high in demand. Javascript, Golang, Kubernetes. Use the learning process to develop a project. Deliver it to open source with all the bells and whistles. Know how to pitch the project and speak to its architectural decisions.

Eng managers love this proof of delivery. It will help in getting remote positions as well.

Re: Ask HN: How do I reach making $1-1.5k/mo in 13 months?

#164

Post by icebraining » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 3:58 PM UTC

2squirrels wrote: post #136

nsl73 wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you missed the main point. The most important part of root comment’s advice is networking —- to meet and work with other devs. If you start your own open source project there’s not guarantee people will work on it with you.

As a beginner myself I wouldn’t even know where to begin to contribute to something like Kubernetes and agree with your point. Those projects have a lot of eyes on them and the talent to follow, what value could I add as a beginner that someone with experience couldn’t do in a heartbeat(or hasn’t already).

People with more experience have all their time taken up by big features and refactorings. In a big project, there are always small things to fix or improve. It's not like they run out, because those big changes create more small things to fix all the time. Linux is 30 years old, and it still accepts patches from beginners regularly.

I don't know about Kubernetes, but lots of large and well-managed projects have issues labelled as "good first issue" to help you know where to start.

Re: Ask HN: How do I reach making $1-1.5k/mo in 13 months?

#165

Post by Ayesh » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 3:58 PM UTC

goatherders wrote: post #97

reroute1 wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interested to know who is paying you $1k for a blog post...

I'm not telling you specifically who, obviously, but we have 3 clients that order a post from us about once a month for at least $1,000. The posts typically are: - 2000 to 2500 words - FAST (48 hour) turnaround - ready to be published without more than a simple read through - voice consistent with other posts that we may not have written for them - well cited or referenced The clients are - b2b environment selling in…

2-2.5K for a blog post sounds excessive in length, specially for b2b companies that sounds like they post often.

I have quite a few blog posts and 1200-1600 is the sweet spot that I get pretty much 100% readership. Anything longer than that gets bookmarked but never read.

Re: Ask HN: How do I reach making $1-1.5k/mo in 13 months?

#166

Post by andreygrehov » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 4:00 PM UTC

localhost wrote: post #131

3pt14159 wrote: post #21

What I've seen that has worked in the past is this: Pick an open source project that is in a language that is respectable and commit to contributing to it for three or four months. Full time. Try to make sure that your written English is clear and professional in things like PRs. Try to keep your code as clean and as well tested and linted as possible. Once the core team gets to know you a bit you'll be able to reach…

+1. I found my most recent hire at Microsoft this way. She was the top performer on my team and continues to do excellent work at the company. Also it’s important to choose your project wisely as well. I wasn’t looking to hire anyone in particular. The recommendation came out of a casual conversation with the creator of the open source project.

I'm curious, how does the interview look like for these people? Do they still have to go through all the coding/system design rounds?

Re: Ask HN: How do I reach making $1-1.5k/mo in 13 months?

#167

Post by ooobit2 » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 4:01 PM UTC

rodrigodlu wrote: post #81

3pt14159 wrote: post #21

What I've seen that has worked in the past is this: Pick an open source project that is in a language that is respectable and commit to contributing to it for three or four months. Full time. Try to make sure that your written English is clear and professional in things like PRs. Try to keep your code as clean and as well tested and linted as possible. Once the core team gets to know you a bit you'll be able to reach…

This is nice way to sum it up. Let me say what what not to do. Context: 10 year developer in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro. Mostly Ruby on Rails (6 years), now Python (1 year). I've dedicated my entire career for the companies and projects I worked for. So I didn't built a profile, or strong connections. The only thing right I got is financial reserves. So I quit from a interim CTO position (previous I was a Tech Leader), w…

I did an MSDA, and I wanted to let you know that you're cutting off the majority of your opportunities for Data roles if you aren't specializing in a business component as well. For me, it was Sales. Started out as a Jr. Analyst and within a year owned all Sales Ops and Sales Enablement. Was a small 60-person, $23MM training company, but my skill with data paired with projects like forecasting models, process optimization, etc. made me a critical asset during a re-org. I'd say about 80% of my daily work was on data projects. The other 20 was in the sales channel itself. Kept things exciting. I worked 14-16 hour days. Never got tired of the grind.

So, consider pairing your data expertise with a business function. Really, anything from Marketing to Finance will open you up to a swarm of opportunities.

Re: Ask HN: How do I reach making $1-1.5k/mo in 13 months?

#168

Post by timwaagh » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 4:01 PM UTC

Eh just get a job with an outsourcing company that sends people to client locations. They will send you overseas eventually. Then switch to a company located there before your residency permit runs out. You will no longer have a third world salary. I don't know whether this is possible in a year but I've seen it many times.

Re: Ask HN: How do I reach making $1-1.5k/mo in 13 months?

#169

Post by pplante » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 4:02 PM UTC

What languages and technologies do you have experience with? I agree with the other posts telling you to checkout IndieHackers and build something. In the meantime, there are probably some contract gigs you could pick up to extend the runway.

Email me if you are looking for projects.

Re: Ask HN: How do I reach making $1-1.5k/mo in 13 months?

#170

Post by giarc » Fri, Jun 05, 2020, 4:04 PM UTC

rukshn wrote: post #160

I'm a doctor from a third word country and we make around ~$1.2k per month. Imagine training to become a doctor and being a doctor with no family life and making ~1.2k per month? If I can make around 2-3k per month I would quit being a doctor and do that job any day. And someone from a third world country I can totally relate and understand your situation. The politics and corruption has rotten the country to the cor…

This isn't related to OP questions but moreso to your situation. I work in a hospital and I was talking to an occupational health safety advisor (probably makes CAD $80k/yr). He told me he was an ED physician in his home country of Colombia for 25 years. He can't practice here in Canada without going through full training again. He would make $300k/yr or more if he was able to practice. I asked him what was different about Colombia and Canada in EDs, he said basically we have better access to imaging (CT, MRI etc). It's really crazy to me that we make it so difficult for overseas physicians to practice here.