Here, here!
@MJ DeMarco. I know this post is primarily focused on learning to code and it is exactly it where I sit every evening slogging away with HTML & CSS after my 9-5 job. I will get to it
My concern for any potential new entrepreneurs (young and old) was somewhat triggered by some of the potentially damaging comments listed above, that could impact your life or business.
For example outsourcing all accountancy because you don't want to learn the math. What utter bullshit!
(FYI My background is Mechanical Engineering, 10 years experience Design & Product Management of high tech systems/products for use is chemical processing facilities where standards exceed that of semi-conductor industry)
This is just my 5 cents for those of you who want to skip the process and hire people to do everything for you without even at least learning the fundamentals of every part of your business. Of course there are always success stories out there (good on you) but there are also horror stories.
Whether its an online marketing company, manufacturing sex toys or selling kitty litter, YOU and you alone are gambling with your life and business.
So what happens dear people:
- If your accountant F*cks up your books, who is accountable at the tax office?
- If someone hacks your site due to bad programming and/or security protocols & steals all the private information from your customers, who is accountable?
- If someone has already pissed in your kitty litter and you distribute it, who is accountable?
- If you sell a sex toy without the required safety reviews and accreditation (CE marking, FDA TUV etc.) and it kills someone, who is accountable? (not sure if that is a good or bad way to go)
- etc.
Who?? Not the people who did the work for you or with whom you contracted the work too! YOU or your business is accountable! Please go ahead and enjoy:
- the fines,
- the excessive rework costs (excluding all the times you have been ripped off up until that point)
- the eventual folding of your business as you kiss your reputation goodbye;
- Oh and of course very worst case, if your found personally liable, there is always the good old fashioned, "Go to F*cking jail, don't pass F*cking go, and don't collect your F*cking €2.5 billion" (due to negligence, tax evasion, manslaughter etc.)
If you have not got a fundamental grasp on what is needed in every aspect of your business you are at risk.
So as a start up, I will continue to build coding practice into my extensive learning program. Why? Because I will own my shit! Because I am not scared of a challenge the size of a mountain! Because when the time comes to pull the trigger, my competitors (already with billions in their banks) will have a hard time keeping up rather than simply copying and taking the idea from me.
I am in no way saying that I aim to be or will be a coding expert in the end, and I fully expect by next year (or most likely by Christmas), that the detailed level of coding knowledge that I have practiced will be gone and lost forever.
What is Most Critical and Most Importantly though, the principles of coding will never be forgotten, the big picture view (roll-on Steve Jobs) can always be applied to hiring, firing, concept generation and understanding and challenging other peoples work.
We are (or at least I am) not here to get rich quick (& dirty), we are here to:
- Get rich fast, with the best odds for success, profitability, growth, security & sustainability.
- Which stems from applying integrity, efficiency (in all phases & fields) & flexibility to a value-giving-product in a dynamic market,
- Which in turn stems from "knowing one's shit"!
- Which in turn stems from investing yourself now (aka: doing the F*cking work) (aka: Process)
Of course, pick your battles. I will learn the financial aspects when my product is ready to make money, I will learn the legal aspects when the product is tested and ready for manufacture/release, and I will learn marketing when I have my product on the market. (actually that is how I fill my breaks

)
For now, because the platform of by business is web/app based, the focus is on learning that. Thus minimizing MY Risk, financial input and time to launch. I will be investing purely from my work income and therefore when I eventually hire someone to develop the website&app it will be done effectively and precisely based on the detailed and clear specification I give to a programmer.
If you don't want to do your mathematics, your coding, your market research, your product analytics etc.
That is fine it is your choice.
I cannot see a lower risk path for how to give value and sustain that value for as many people on this planet as possible, only to have it take away/removed or to loose my grip on the market share.
Additionally if it all goes tits up, the process is established and the next product will be on the market in a fraction of the time.
Some light reading to underpin the risks for non-technical start-ups, or for non-technical leadership:
www.csc.gov.sg
Rant over.