Starting a web developer business

[MasterProblemSolver]

Hi all,

I wanted to get your thoughts and opinions on the first steps involved in creating a small start-up web development business.

I am graduate with a 2:1 in Computer Science, have worked on some highly complex systems for a large government body with big data sets and have several Microsoft certifications in software engineering.

Amidst all of the above, I have never tried my hand at freelance web development or IT consultancy. I am also usually that friend who most people come to for help, advice or support for solving their IT related problems... And this year I have fixed two laptop issues relating to corrupt Operating Systems and helped resolve an issue with a Wordpress site not loading when the files were transferred from one provider to another.

I am naturally gifted at problem solving and I absolutely love fixing an issue or creating something from nothing as I'm just a big geek in general and get a kick out of it.

So my question is... If I was to try and work with starting up my own IT business... What field would you recommend I focus on and what would be the best steps in approaching it?

Any feedback you can give is appreciated.

Many thanks.

 

[Xtm_Mike]

Only you can answer that question. But one thing I will say is don't take on work just because you think you have the skills to do it. You do seem to have a good skillset and the degree will help but it does not make you a good programmer... You didn't mention your experience other than fixing a couple of WP issues?

Outside of WP, what skills do you have? HTML5, CSS3, JS, PHP, Python, do you have an eye for design? Only you can work out what skills you have and decide where to go from there. What platforms (WP, Magento, Drupal, Laravel, etc..) do you know like the back of your hand?

In my opinion if you're not highly skilled in any of these areas at a professional level then you shouldn't really offering them as services. If you are working with companies and get it wrong they WILL come after you. You need to be fully confident you can deliver the work to a high standard and fix problems without the constant need to Google your way through it.

This advice is based on the many, many threads you will find right here on UKBF from 'web developers' asking for help after taking on work that has went belly up and they dont have the required knowledge to put it right and are now being chased for money, refunds or even worse legal action.

Good luck on your journey - Web development is highly rewarding if you get it right, but there are far too many "WordPress Developers' popping up that are clueless outside of setting up a WP theme and a few plugins, don't be one of them

 

[Chris Ashdown]

Depending on what sort of money you want to earn will reflect on your skill requirements and also your interest in the jobs you get. if you are happy to churn out low cost jobs and fight a very large number of competitors then that's fine or you may want to use some of your brain power to work whilst training to get more interesting and normally higher paid work

What many don't understand is how much earning time must be taken up selling yourself and getting a good name

 

[fisicx]

If you want to make money offering wordpress services, setting up sites with standard themes won't make your rich. What makes money is building themes and plugins. It's the bespoke stuff that will make you rich.

 

[MasterProblemSolver]

Thanks all for your replies. It sounds like I'm underestimating this venture quite a bit. I was planning to try and do this on the side to supplement my income and keep my current full time job, but by the sounds of it... Using the Saturday and Sunday I get off every week would not be enough to get this off the ground.

Instead of web development, would it be worth trying as a general IT consultant/trainer and listing what services I CAN provide? Then if any potential clients approach me with an unrealistic request that I know I can't fulfill, I can gently state I don't cater for the service they require?

Or is the whole idea useless and instead it's best to try and think of an idea for an app/website that hasn't been done yet, find the niche and build it from the ground up?

I know this all sounds like a desperate attempt to make cash, but it's really a test to see if I can apply my skills to generate some cashflow as everyone I know (even at work) seems to use me as the fountain of knowledge for all things IT related.

 

[MasterProblemSolver]

Only you can answer that question. But one thing I will say is don't take on work just because you think you have the skills to do it. You do seem to have a good skillset and the degree will help but it does not make you a good programmer... You didn't mention your experience other than fixing a couple of WP issues?

Outside of WP, what skills do you have? HTML5, CSS3, JS, PHP, Python, do you have an eye for design? Only you can work out what skills you have and decide where to go from there. What platforms (WP, Magento, Drupal, Laravel, etc..) do you know like the back of your hand?

In my opinion if you're not highly skilled in any of these areas at a professional level then you shouldn't really offering them as services. If you are working with companies and get it wrong they WILL come after you. You need to be fully confident you can deliver the work to a high standard and fix problems without the constant need to Google your way through it.

Sorry for the double post. I have enough experience in those that you have listed to write some of the code, but not at an absolute master level that can free hand everything. I can free hand html5, css3... And some js, php and python. Again, I know some of WP but I've never sat down and learned it inside out. Most of my background is predominantly C#.NET and IIS, so I'm more of a Windows guy. I also have a fairly good grasp of SQL Server and other SQL syntaxs (once you know one, they are mostly the same but slightly different syntax and keywords). As WP is opensource, that seemed like the best way to go. Would you recommend I try .NET development instead? That in itself comes with a whole raft of other issues in my opinion.

 

[ethical PR]

Why don't you speak to your university careers service about careers options based on your personality, experience and aspirations.

There are agencies that specialise in the sort of work you want to do

Have you looked at graduate positions with them?

 

[MasterProblemSolver]

Why don't you speak to your university careers service about careers options based on your personality, experience and aspirations.

There are agencies that specialise in the sort of work you want to do

Have you looked at graduate positions with them?

I could try that. The only issue is, I graduated some time ago now (about 5 years) so a graduate position wouldn't be enough to pay the bills alone, which is why I don't want to quit my current job.

I guess it's worth a try as all graduates stay on university records for several years after they have completed their degrees.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

You have nothing to loose by doing on the weekend as a small start up and see where it leads

There is also a need for sorting out small business servers and problems where you can offer a fixed service fee or call out basis , but unfortunately on there sorts of problems they want 24/7 response

 

[The Byre]

Your biggest problem is that building websites is today a consumer activity. Stuff like SQL, WP, Java-Scripts and HTML are skills that many total amateurs (like me!) have picked up on the side.

If you want to augment your present income, the answer would be (IMO) to augment your skills first and possibly add some programming languages to that lot and then go after a better job.

Systems engineers with strong hands-on experience and knowledge in Microsoft technologies, including on-site Windows and Active Directory, and cloud based Office 365, Exchange Online, with all the usual 'Security and Compliance', and 'Azure AD'/risk identification are always being sought. Also make sure you are fully conversant with these things in Linux and Apple platforms, as most of the major industrial environments involve more than just Windows (we have almost every version of Windows, Linux, Apple and one DOS PC for a very specific set of tasks and two BeOS machines).

Also, be prepared to move location. Strong IT skills are being sought all over the World. Right now Australia and New Zealand employers are looking for people.