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Well, today I thought let me talk to fellow aspiring developers, particularly those in third world countries. This is just random advice... so you are free to ignore it if it suits you.
Some weeks back I wrote an article talking about how there is an average of 2 companies achieving unicorn status [ a billion dollar valuation ] every day around the globe. These are companies from everywhere except Africa. Africa has only had a handful of unicorns and these only account for 0.5% of the global total.
One of the reasons for that, is simply a matter of probabilities. If you have thousands of people all actively building something then you're more likely to stumble upon at least one great company. Then when that company grows it can nurture and reinvest in more companies of its own.
I've met a lot of great developers with beautiful ideas, but they sit on those ideas and soon, years pass without anything being done. With this article I'm hoping to provide some insights and more importantly- spur someone into taking action. So here goes...
1. Start early
I've met many developers who seem to be waiting for something magical- like a sign in the clouds and a loud voice to say "Verily verily I say unto thee, the stars doth align and thy time is now... start building that project."
The thing with procrastination is that, once you entertain it, then pretty soon you will be out of time. Statistics show that the average age for startup founders is mid thirties. The younger you are, the better. Mainly because it demands a lot of time and energy. The older you get and the more responsibilities you shoulder, it becomes less likely and more unwise for you to take huge risks.
2. Ideas are worth nothing
Almost every developer I meet thinks their idea is so awesome that it will be the next frontier in human evolution or something. So they guard it jealously and keep it a secret. I hate to break it down to ya buddy... but as long as you're not taking action, then your idea's worth nothing. Plus having been in this for a minute- Do you have any idea how many people think they have amazing ideas? I'm sure we all do. I can also bet my last dollar, that there is already someone actively working on an idea similar to the one you're holding onto. Wanna bet?
3. Talk to 'real' people
So you've got that brilliant idea in your mind. One of the best ways to figure out if it will work or not is by actually going out and talking to 'real' people. Tell them the idea, ask them what they think and whether they would put money into that. Better yet, it would be even more awesome if you could create something and have them try it out. You probably won't get it right the first time, but from consistently talking to people and iterating, you will eventually land that sweet spot. People will tell you what they want.
4. No tech(innovation) is an island
While tech may seem fancy and above other technical fields such as agriculture, its important to understand that tech is not a stand-alone field. Tech can be applied to all aspects of our lives, from the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the way we travel, communicate and entertain ourselves.
Don't hide in some corner, developing products for street vendors and hoping they will like it. Go out and talk to street vendors. If possible, include them in the design process or even make them part of your team. You are developing products for 'people'. Always remember that
5. Forget the certificate... let your work speak for itself
I've got a lot of friends who went to school and did 'computer stuff'. However for most of them, it all ended in school. Some might have landed a job in some large company's IT department but the majority are still getting little to no action in terms of actual programming or building tech products.
The internet has made life even easier for people to teach themselves all sorts of programming. There are endless tutorials, forums and opportunities. So building your own products and building a portfolio is so much easier now. The question is why haven't you created anything? What does that say about your creativity and your initiative?
Most new tech employers are more focused on what you've created and not the certificates you own. So they would opt for an Indian teenager who is self taught but with an expansive portfolio instead of you, with all those certificates and no portfolio. This brings us to the next point.
6. No one wants to "babysit".
The world of tech moves much faster than the rest of the world. When startups receive venture funding, their primary goal is growth and they do not have the luxury of time. So most tech employers are looking for someone who can think on their own and get things done with minimal supervision
So if you are someone who sits and waits for someone to tell you to do ABC, then you might be waiting for a long time. More importantly it means that no one has the time to waste waiting for you while you learn how to do something. They have other things to focus on and the last thing they need is a distraction. For this reason they will prefer someone who already has some form of real experience.
Oftentimes, it doesn't even matter whether the person is self taught. Just as long as they have the scars to show for it, they are more likely to be considered over you if you're a 'slacker.'
7. 70% of the job is finding and fixing bugs
The movies and TV have made it seem rather cool and simple, but again... I hate to break it down to ya buddy, but once you're set on that developer path, most of your time will be spent trying to figure out what's wrong with your code and how to fix it.
Even the greatest developer will have a few bugs here and there, but the difference is that they know where to look and can fix the bugs faster. This is something that only comes from practical experience. No books can teach you this part of the job, and it's why I recommend that you practice as much as you can. Create as many projects as you can.
FYI- I once spent almost two weeks stuck and unable to do any work simply because I had forgotten to put a comma somewhere. Imagine that.
8. Network
I mentioned earlier that the world of tech is quite dynamic and things are changing on a regular basis. There are also a lot of new innovations and inventions being introduced daily. For example, the Google algorithms are changed an average of 8 times a day.
All of this is stuff you could learn more about from peers. So its important to proactively network. One of the best ways to do that is by joining co-working spaces, forums, incubators and accelerator programs. That way you can easily find co-founders, share ideas and find out what's new in the tech world.
I also mentioned the issue of bugs earlier. While the internet provides a lot of answers- at times it helps if you have a more knowledgeable friend to consult whenever you find yourself stuck.
9. Know your worth
You have no idea how many people approach me with "I have an idea and I wanted you to build it then we share 50- 50." Yes it's great to work with people but it's also important to understand how much value you are bringing to the table. Also note what I said about ideas earlier. They are a great starting point, but they aren't worth much until implemented.
However, how you negotiate is up to you and your partners... my goal is simply to highlight that not all ideas are good ideas. So be careful which products you take up, and how much time you devote to them.
10. Get an investor who understands
Another pitfall I've seen is that when you're starving and your product isn't yet making any money, it's easy for someone to come to you and say "listen, I want to help you. I'll invest $10k in this, but I'll take 85% since I'm bringing in most of the value". That's not how it works.
When you've built a prototype and tested it on the market, you could easily raise $100k and that's for less than 10% of your company. Remember it's not just a website or an app you're building- IT'S A BUSINESS! So a real investor understands this. Chancers however do not. So be extra cautious.
I've seen many a talented individual who pitched their ideas to wealthy business people end up as employees. One says "you're quite a gifted individual and I like your work. Come work for my company and I will pay you x amount per month". That might sound like a good deal and even more-so if those words are coming from someone you look up to and idolize... but you're worth more Child.
With that said, it's important to use your discretion. It's pointless having a million dollar idea which you can't get off the ground because you can't afford a laptop. So do whatever floats your boat but let your overall vision guide you.
11. That's not how the story goes
Most of us read all these sensationalized stories about how Microsoft, Facebook and all those amazing tech companies grew big. Those are often exceptions and rarely the norm.
No startup is perfect. You won't get it right all on the first try. The great thing is that even most startup investors understand this. A lot of startups pivot along the way. You start off doing one thing and soon realize it won't work. Then you shift to something new that you figured out along the way. You try it out and it works. That's how it often goes.
So don't wait for things to be perfect or try to make a dramatic spectacle when you launch. Rather focus on doing things right and starting. Its actually better when you start small and grow because you get to refine your product as you go. Starting big comes with a lot of pressure, as all eyes are on you. One faulty bug could be your demise if a million users encounter it at the same time.
Do you remember when Google launched? Yeah, neither do I. So don't worry about the fancy stuff. Find your own path.
12. You can't compete with industry titans
I've met many developers who delay their launches because they want their products to be at par with the best i.e. Google, Facebook, Amazon. While benchmarking yourself against the best is a great thing, it is also somewhat unfair to you. Those companies that you are comparing yourself to, are worth billions.
They have hundreds of engineers, technicians and all sorts of professionals in all corners of the world. They have bigger marketing budgets and have invested heavily in infrastructure. For you to want your product to match theirs on Day 1 is somewhat of a stretch. So go easy on yourself and enjoy the advantages of being small.
Just do your best with what you have. Most investors will understand the vision- that's why they're putting money into it in the first place.
13. Developing is the easy part
So you've put in the work and built something amazing. Yippeee! Kudos to you. Now this is when the real work starts. You will need to get users to visit your site, to download your app and use your product or innovation.
While in all the tech fairytales the story seems to always end with "and they downloaded it happily ever after..."
well...
How do I tell you this? 🤔
Welcome to the real world my friend. You will need to work extra hard to get your product into the hands of real people. Yeah yeah, we know your mom thinks it's awesome, but what about the rest of the world? That's the hard part. The key is to talk to people and simply build something they love. Simple right?
Hope you found this useful and eye-opening. Feel free to reach out and ask me as many questions as you have. I'll gladly answer as long as you ask earnestly.
About the Author
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Likhwa M. Moyo is a self taught software developer from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, whose apps have been downloaded more than 120,000 times on the Playstore. He enjoys art, nature, Lay's potato chips and watching Pro-Wrestling( Don't judge!!! 😁)
Likhwa has a number of apps on the Playstore and he would like you to check out his most recent app- Asaqè Business Pro. It's a business planning and management community for startups and small businesses.
You can download it from Google's Playstore by clicking here.
Likhwa also feels really weird writing about himself in the third person, and that's why he's stopping now.
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