Focus on validating the problem first. Get people to pay you to solve that problem and once you have people begging you for the solution, then figure out something to build.
I've seen (and experienced myself) this mistake too many times. The tech stack does not matter AT ALL.
All that matters is that you're solving a problem for the people that will pay you. Don't spend 3 months perfecting the ideal tech stack and then realizing you have nothing to use it for.
There are now dozens of co-working spaces in Chicago, with all sorts of amenities, specialties, sizes, etc.
1871 is the flagship, created by and supported by the city/government and rich tech leaders. But it is far from the only community in town available to you.
Think about what you need first and go from there.
Right? I keep reading these stories of people who up and just quit jobs at dream companies, which I can totally understand. But what I'm absolutely gobsmacked about is, "then I took 13 months off and roamed the country". Da fuq?
I've been working since I was in 9th grade and have NEVER had enough money saved up to take 3 weeks off, much less 13 months.
> I've been working since I was in 9th grade and have NEVER had enough money saved up to take 3 weeks off, much less 13 months.
If you save 6% of your take-home income for one year, you'll have saved enough to take three weeks off. So if you take home, say, $500/week, put $30 each week into a savings account. You won't even notice that it's gone.
If you want to take 13 months off, the best strategy is to move from high ground to low ground. Eg, take a job in a city like SF, Denver, Seattle, NYC, etc that pays well, get a cheap place, get rid of any vehicles and use public trans, etc. Taking home $75k and socking away 1/3rd each week, you'll end up with $25k in savings - which is more than enough to spend 13 months roaming the country.
(In the past few years I've spent > 13 months roaming the country)
What exactly is it that you are feigning surprise over? That people on high salaries can save a significant sum of money? What's counterintuitive or surprising about this?
Because I'm in tech and have yet to see one of these "high salaries". Nobody seems to acknowledge outside help. Does she have parents that she can always go back to live with if shit falls apart? And then there's a shit ton of "you're living beyond your means, if X isn't true for you.."
I don't get this mentality at all - if you don't have savings to cover 3 weeks, what are you going to do if you become unemployed? I "only" have about 4 months worth of salary saved and I feel like I need to watch my expenses, cause that is not enough.
Well in my almost 20 year IT career, I've only ever been unemployed for 3 months. For the last 10 years, I've had two jobs.
What does anyone do in the US who finds themselves unemployed? They scramble to find a job..any job to make ends meet and when that doesn't happen, they live out of their car. And when they lose their car, they live in a homeless shelter.
Only "a renter" is true. I have one kid. We have one family car instead of two. The three of us live in a one bedroom apartment. I carry no credit card debt, but I don't buy any toys. I paid off my college loans in the first two years out of college because I worked like a dog and lived with my parents.
Having children and/or other obligations makes it more likely you're living above your means.
It doesn't change the fact that if you're not putting money aside for emergencies & retirement you are living above your means.
Sometimes it's OK to live above your means. I'd willingly go into major debt for my children. But not acknowledging you're doing so while you're doing it will cause problems.
This is exactly why I created Donald (http://getDonald.com). So many clients just default to email and don't use whatever project management system you ask them to. Sometimes even your own team defaults to email above all else.
I agree with you that email is a utility at this point that isn't going anywhere anytime soon. I think it's a matter of successfully integrating and organizing email alongside other apps/systems, and I do think that's possible.
Real-time asset tracking (GPS) with a non-terrible user interface. I'll get a good marketing page done someday; currently it's spreading via a vendor I made friends with (see above).
Focus on validating the problem first. Get people to pay you to solve that problem and once you have people begging you for the solution, then figure out something to build.
I've seen (and experienced myself) this mistake too many times. The tech stack does not matter AT ALL.
All that matters is that you're solving a problem for the people that will pay you. Don't spend 3 months perfecting the ideal tech stack and then realizing you have nothing to use it for.