Why not choose both?

I talk a lot about making money online.  But I have to be honest here.  I enjoy every minute of the work I do.  If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be doing it.  If, like the bumper stickers say, “I’d rather be …” (fill in the blank with enjoyable task of your choice), I’d be doing just that.  But the truth is I’d rather be sitting at my keyboard building websites.  That’s what I enjoy.

What do you enjoy?  If you don’t like typing, and you don’t like reading, and you don’t want to learn at least a little bit of programming, then don’t do it.  Don’t spend all of your time doing these things if you simply hate them.  Leave it to someone like me who really enjoys it.  Your time would be better spent doing what you truly enjoy.  You can still make money - maybe lots of money.

The great thing about technology is that it has created a channel for creative individuals and technical people to collaborate across the miles to create great things.  There are dozens of sites where you can find freelance workers to do just about anything you would need.  You get to request bids, and you get to choose the winner.  The whole process usually works through a reputable third party, so the risks are minimal for both the requestor and the bidder.

Check out sites like elance.com, guru.com, freelancedesigners.com, and ifreelance.com.  There are many such sites, and doing a quick search will probably return a list of freelancers that can provide just the service you’re looking for.  Also, you might want to read a book titled, “The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich.”  Timothy Ferriss has done a great job of detailing how to set up a business doing what you enjoy to build the life of your dreams. 

Think about it.  It’s not really about the money anyway, is it?  I just ran across the video below.  It’s part of an interview with Jim Koch, the founder of the Samuel Adams brewery in Boston.  In the video, he says that he set out to have fun - not make money.  And he’s right.  More people need to understand that life is meant to live.  Money comes in exchange for the best you have to give.  Use your talent and skills to the best of your ability and find others to help with the rest.

Since the Dotcom crash in 2001, many American software developers have looked for greener pastures.  I remember the frenzy during the late 90’s that allowed many of us to receive double digit pay increases each year for several years.  In some cases, it was almost as if being a software developer was the equivalent of owning a gold mine.  Those days are long gone.  But something even better has taken the place of those Dotcom software positions.

Now, with a little creativity, software developers can use their skills to make money online.  If you’re a software developer, and you either understand marketing or you’re willing to learn, you can make really good money with your own online business. 

For several years, Internet marketers have taken advantage of software outsourcing to rake in huge amounts of cash online.  Knowing nothing whatsoever about programming, they’ve made large sums by selling the software they’ve bought from low-paid programmers on various contractor websites.  I’ve even heard marketers talk about programmers as if they were the equivalent of fast food workers.  Now, I’m not knocking fast food workers.  They often work very hard for what they earn.  What I’m getting at here is that computer programming is quickly becoming a commodity.

Well, maybe that has actually become our new reality.  With globalization, programmers can be hired to perform work for just a few dollars per hour.  And the code they create can often be better than what you’d get in the US while paying higher rates.

So, what does this mean for software developers in America?

You can actually find a good niche market and create your own products or outsource the work to lower paid contractors.  Then you can use online marketing strategies to launch and promote those products to make a lot of money.  Instead of getting paid a salary or an hourly rate, you can create a product to sell in a global marketplace.  Think about how Bill Gates made his money.  He didn’t do it by writing code to get paid by the hour.  No, he had developers create products that he could sell over and over again for huge profits.

The key is to understand how to market your products effectively.  It’s just as easy to lose your shirt as it is to make a killing on the Internet. Knowing how to establish your position in the market and how to effectively promote your product to maximize profits is essential to your success.  As a software developer myself, I’ve spent the last two years in the online marketing world attending events, speaking with leaders in the field, and studying their top strategies.  That’s how I know that you, too, can profit with your own online business.

Stay tuned because I’m going to tell you how to get started and how to make the most of your skills in future posts.