“I'm talking to potential clients and I need to land a contract with one of them soon. Oh no: do I have to learn about sales now?” I’m not a sales expert. Most of my clients have been long-term, and I haven’t had to close new contracts often. So, honestly, I don’t feel comfortable talking … Continue reading Sales basics for techies and introverts →

“Oh jeez, my client will surely discover I’m not as good as they initially thought. They’ll kick me out any day now!” Recognize this feeling? I’ve been a software developer for over two decades, and I still feel this. If anything, it’s more intense now than earlier in my career. Most of us will intellectually … Continue reading How to control impostor syndrome →

“OK, I think freelancing software development is right for me. What steps should I take to get there?” I’ve laid out the most important steps below. Note that some details may change slightly depending on whether you’re doing online remote only or focusing on local, regional, on-site, and hybrid projects. You don’t have to do … Continue reading 12 steps from employee to freelancer →

“My client just asked me how long this project will take. What do I do?” If you’re doing fixed-price projects, you need to estimate work upfront to know if it’s worth doing. But even when you’re charging by the hour (as is typical in long-term contracting/consulting engagements), clients will ask you to provide timelines for … Continue reading Estimating client work →

“So what do I call myself when I go self-employed? I see people refer to independent developers as freelancers, contractors, and consultants, and it’s unclear what the difference is…” They are not mutually exclusive words. Let’s first attempt to define the different terms. Definitions Contractor A contractor builds things for others. For software developers, this … Continue reading Freelancer, contractor, or consultant? →