Make money with coding.. What you're NOT being told!

Dorian Develops
28 Feb 202217:17
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRThis video script provides a candid and realistic perspective on the various ways one can attempt to make money through coding. The narrator debunks common misconceptions and highlights the challenges associated with each path, including becoming a software developer, freelancing, building startups or apps, game development, and content creation. While acknowledging the potential for financial success, the script emphasizes that none of these routes are easy or fast. It underscores the grind, dedication, and perseverance required to succeed in any of these coding-related endeavors. The overarching message is that making money through coding is achievable but requires hard work and realistic expectations, contrary to the oftentimes oversimplified portrayal prevalent on social media.

Takeaways
  • ๐Ÿ‘จโ€๐Ÿ’ป Getting a job as a software developer is not as easy as portrayed; it's a highly demanding profession with a risk of burnout.
  • ๐Ÿค‘ While developer salaries are high, initially you'll likely earn $50,000-$70,000 and it takes years to reach six figures.
  • ๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿ’ผ Corporate culture, office politics, and non-coding tasks can make dev jobs less glamorous than advertised.
  • ๐Ÿ”ง Becoming a freelance developer is extremely challenging, especially without experience, and often involves low-paying work initially.
  • ๐Ÿ’ป Building a successful startup or app is highly competitive, with countless people pursuing the same ideas.
  • ๐ŸŽฎ Game development as a career is notoriously exploitative, with passion being leveraged for low pay and long hours.
  • ๐Ÿค– Creating a wildly popular indie game is incredibly difficult amidst vast competition.
  • ๐Ÿ“น Content creation like YouTube, blogging, etc. can monetize coding skills but requires consistent hard work over years.
  • ๐Ÿ’ธ Across all paths, making significant money from coding skills is possible but far more difficult than commonly portrayed.
  • ๐Ÿšง Perseverance and managing realistic expectations are crucial for achieving financial success through coding.
Q & A
  • What is the main point the speaker is trying to convey in this video?

    -The main point the speaker is trying to convey is that while learning to code can provide various opportunities to make money, none of those paths are as easy or glamorous as they are often portrayed. The speaker emphasizes that all the different ways to make money from coding, such as getting a software development job, freelancing, building a startup, game development, or content creation, require a significant amount of hard work, dedication, and perseverance.

  • What are some of the potential downsides of working as a software developer that the speaker mentions?

    -The speaker mentions several potential downsides of working as a software developer, including burnout, long hours, demanding deadlines, dealing with corporate politics and office nonsense, having to work under middle management, and the work not being as exciting or fun as it's often portrayed on social media.

  • Why does the speaker suggest being cautious about pursuing freelancing as a beginner?

    -The speaker suggests being cautious about pursuing freelancing as a beginner because it is extremely difficult to find clients and build a portfolio when starting from scratch. The speaker mentions the challenges of competing with a vast number of applicants, often having to work for very low pay or even for free initially, and the potential for inconsistent income and financial instability.

  • What are the speaker's thoughts on building a startup or creating a successful app?

    -The speaker acknowledges that while it is possible to build a successful startup or app, it is highly competitive, and the chances of creating the next big unicorn startup are slim. The speaker suggests that most people's startup ideas are likely already being worked on by others and that the focus should be more on solving a problem rather than expecting immediate financial success.

  • How does the speaker describe the challenges of being a game developer?

    -The speaker describes game development as one of the most difficult and potentially exploitative areas of software development. The speaker mentions that game developers are often passionate about their work, which can lead to longer hours and lower pay at large companies that exploit this passion. The speaker also notes that creating a successful indie game or becoming the next big game developer is extremely challenging.

  • What does the speaker say about content creation as a way to make money from coding?

    -The speaker, who has experience in content creation, acknowledges that it is possible to make money through various content formats like blogging, YouTube, courses, and books related to coding. However, the speaker also emphasizes that building a successful content business is a significant grind, taking years of consistent effort and work to achieve substantial income.

  • According to the speaker, what is the common theme across all the different money-making opportunities discussed?

    -The common theme across all the different money-making opportunities discussed by the speaker is that none of them are easy or as glamorous as they are often portrayed. The speaker emphasizes that all these paths require a significant amount of hard work, dedication, and perseverance, and that there is no quick or effortless way to make money from coding.

  • What advice does the speaker give to those learning to code with the goal of making money?

    -The speaker's advice to those learning to code with the goal of making money is to manage their expectations and understand that none of the money-making opportunities will come easy or fast. The speaker encourages learners to put in the work, have determination, and be patient, as success and financial rewards will likely take time and consistent effort.

  • Does the speaker discourage pursuing any of the money-making opportunities discussed?

    -No, the speaker does not explicitly discourage pursuing any of the money-making opportunities discussed. Instead, the speaker aims to provide a realistic perspective on the challenges and difficulties involved in each path, emphasizing that while they are achievable, they require significant effort and should not be approached with unrealistic expectations.

  • What is the overall tone of the speaker's message in this video?

    -The overall tone of the speaker's message is one of realism and pragmatism. The speaker aims to provide a balanced and honest assessment of the various money-making opportunities available to those who learn to code, countering the often overly optimistic or idealistic portrayals found in many other sources. The speaker's tone is direct but not discouraging, emphasizing the importance of managing expectations and being prepared for the hard work and perseverance required.

Outlines
00:00
โš ๏ธ Reality Check: Challenges of a Software Developer Career

The paragraph discusses the realities and potential downsides of pursuing a career as a software developer. Despite the appealing perks like nice offices and high salaries, it emphasizes that it is a demanding job with risks of burnout, tight deadlines, office politics, and long hours. The author cautions that the path to a six-figure salary takes time and perseverance, and the initial years might only fetch a modest income. Overall, the paragraph aims to provide a balanced perspective on the software development profession, highlighting the challenges often overlooked in glamorized portrayals.

05:02
๐Ÿ˜ฐ The Harsh Truth About Freelancing as a Coder

This paragraph delves into the difficulties of becoming a successful freelance programmer. It emphasizes that even experienced developers must start from scratch when transitioning to freelancing, facing the daunting task of finding clients. The author describes the grind of approaching local businesses, leveraging personal networks, or competing on freelancing platforms against a vast pool of applicants, potentially leading to underpaid work. The paragraph also touches on the inconsistent income and stress of dealing directly with clients, who can be demanding and unreliable. Overall, it paints a realistic picture of the challenges involved in freelance coding, contrasting with the romanticized notion of being a digital nomad working on one's terms.

10:02
๐Ÿš€ Startup Dreams and Realities in the Tech World

The paragraph discusses the challenges and competitiveness of building a successful startup or app. It suggests that while many developers have ideas for the next big thing, the reality is that numerous others are likely working on similar concepts. The author advises against expecting immediate financial success, as most startups initially struggle to find a market need. The paragraph also touches on the difficulties of creating a unicorn startup, highlighting the intense competition and the improbability of achieving such a level of success. Overall, it aims to provide a realistic perspective on the startup scene, encouraging aspiring entrepreneurs to have reasonable expectations and focus more on solving problems than chasing quick riches.

15:04
๐ŸŽฎ The Harsh Realities of Game Development and Content Creation

This paragraph covers two distinct topics: game development and content creation (e.g., YouTube, blogging). Regarding game development, the author warns that it is one of the most challenging and exploitative areas of software development, with corporations often underpaying passionate developers. Creating independent games as an individual is also described as extremely difficult, with slim chances of financial success. On the content creation front, the author draws from personal experience, acknowledging the potential to earn money but emphasizing the immense grind and dedication required. The paragraph aims to provide a realistic outlook on these pursuits, discouraging individuals from expecting easy money and encouraging a passion-driven approach.

Mindmap
Keywords
๐Ÿ’กBurnout
Burnout refers to the state of physical and emotional exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress in one's job. The video script highlights that burnout is a real issue faced by many software developers, often leading to them leaving their jobs within 2-3 years. It is presented as one of the pitfalls of being a developer, despite the high salaries and perks associated with the profession.
๐Ÿ’กFreelancing
Freelancing is the practice of working as an independent contractor, taking on projects or jobs for different clients rather than being employed full-time by a single company. The video discusses the challenges of becoming a successful freelance programmer, such as finding clients, dealing with low-paying gigs initially, managing clients' demands, and the general inconsistency of income.
๐Ÿ’กStartup
A startup refers to a newly established business or entrepreneurial venture, often focused on developing and launching a new product or service. The video cautions that building a successful startup, particularly a 'unicorn' or highly successful one, is an incredibly competitive endeavor, with countless others working on similar ideas. It advises against the expectation of making money quickly through a startup.
๐Ÿ’กGame Development
Game development refers to the process of creating video games or other interactive digital entertainment products. The video warns that pursuing game development as a career path or as a means to make money can be exceptionally challenging. It cites long working hours, lower pay, and the exploitation of passion by companies as potential drawbacks in the gaming industry.
๐Ÿ’กContent Creation
Content creation refers to the process of generating and publishing various forms of digital content, such as videos, blogs, tutorials, or courses. The video presents content creation as a potential avenue for making money by leveraging one's coding knowledge and skills. However, it also emphasizes that building a successful content creation business is a significant grind and requires sustained effort over a long period.
๐Ÿ’กGrind
The term 'grind' is used repeatedly in the video to describe the relentless effort, hard work, and perseverance required to achieve success or make money through various programming-related pursuits, such as freelancing, building startups, or content creation. It highlights that none of these paths are easy or quick, but rather demand a consistent, long-term commitment.
๐Ÿ’กCorporate Culture
Corporate culture refers to the shared values, attitudes, and behaviors that characterize a particular organization or company. The video mentions the potential challenges of dealing with office politics, middle management, and toxic corporate cultures as part of working as a software developer in a traditional employment setting.
๐Ÿ’กRemote Work
Remote work, or working from home, is presented in the video as one of the touted benefits of being a software developer. However, the script notes that while remote work opportunities exist, many companies still prefer to have developers working on-site, limiting the full realization of this perk.
๐Ÿ’กPassion Project
A passion project refers to a personal endeavor or creative work undertaken primarily out of personal interest, enthusiasm, or passion, rather than for financial gain. The video suggests that many game development and startup efforts often begin as passion projects but cautions against the assumption that passion alone will lead to financial success.
๐Ÿ’กCompetitive Landscape
The competitive landscape refers to the overall market conditions, competitors, and level of competition within a particular industry or domain. The video emphasizes the highly competitive nature of various programming-related pursuits, such as startups, game development, and freelancing, where numerous individuals and companies are vying for success and market share.
Highlights

The main reason why a lot of people want to learn how to code is because they want to get a job as a software developer, but it's a really hard job and burnout is a real thing that many developers go through.

Even though software engineering jobs often have high paying salaries and great benefits, it can be demanding at times with deadlines and a lot of stressful factors that people leave out of 'day in the life' videos.

When you're first starting out as a software developer, you're going to be lucky to make $50,000 to $70,000 a year, and it takes time to work your way up to the big money that everyone talks about.

Working as a developer can involve dealing with a lot of corporate nonsense, office politics, and toxic company culture, which can wear on you after a while.

Many companies still want to keep developers in the office, and the perks they highlight, like ping pong tables and free beverages, aren't that great because you're still sitting in front of a computer writing code and dealing with office work.

Becoming a freelancer is really, really hard, even for experienced developers, as you have to constantly find new clients and compete with others who may undercut your rates.

When starting as a freelancer, you're likely to race to the bottom for jobs, work for practically free to build a portfolio, and deal with difficult clients who may try to underpay or not pay you.

Freelancers often live hand-to-mouth until they build up enough clientele, which can take years, and many end up going back to a day job due to the stress.

Building the next big startup or unicorn is highly competitive, as there are likely hundreds of thousands of people working on the same idea you have.

You're unlikely to make much money right away with a startup, so the best approach is to not care about making money initially and focus on building something people actually need.

Building a game on your own is really, really difficult, and working as a game developer for a big company is often one of the worst development jobs due to exploitation of passion for longer hours and less pay.

Creating your own video game or mobile game with the goal of making a ton of money is probably the hardest path, as there are so many people doing it and so much competition.

You can make money with content creation, like blogging, YouTube, or creating courses, but it's a grind and it takes a long time to build an audience and revenue stream.

The main point is that none of the ways to make money by learning to code will come easy, no matter how they are portrayed, and they all require a lot of work and determination.

If you put in the work and time, you can eventually make money from coding, but it won't be fast, easy, or exciting โ€“ it's a grind that requires perseverance.

Transcripts
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