200 15 Minute Conversations with Software Developers from around the World — What I learned Surprised Me
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Earlier this year I decided to start a business coaching software developers. One problem — I had no clue how to start a business.
- I tried promoting on Instagram… crickets.
- Paid ads on Facebook — 👎
- Google Ads banned me before I could start… wtf
- I paid thousands for coaches to show me path to monetization which led to more Facebook Ads… 😑
Then I decided to try LinkedIn. It seemed like a natural fit to reach my customer base: junior developers looking to pass interviews and increase their technical depth.
I was scared though.
What would my co-workers think? Would more developed developers pick me apart? Who would take me seriously?
I did it anyways. I’m nothing if not a stubborn bastard.
I wrote Monday — Friday with moderate success and attention. I gained a few customers. Then one day I saw my phone going crazy with notifications.
Holy sweet fish cakes.
Kyle Simpson reposted me! My followers skyrocketed and then I noticed my calendar began to fill with appointments…
Like a lot of them.
Honestly, few of these calls translated to any sales. I’m fine with that and I still do these calls to give back to the developer community. I have no expectation of any compensation during these meetings and I’ve learned so much that I find them very valuable.
I’ve spoken with developers from the US, India, Pakistan, Nigeria, Europe, Australia, Canada and plenty of other countries.
200 meetings later, here’s what I learned:
