Develpreneur: Become a Better Developer and Entrepreneur

Testing strategies for developers are often seen as lacking import.  To be honest, developers are in their role to write code, not provide quality assurance.  However, that does not excuse the implementers from being part of testing and sharing that work. Simple Testing Strategies For Developers The strength of developers is creating solutions, not testing them.  That is not a knock on developers,...

Life is a busy thing for those of us in IT and pursuing entrepreneurial goals.  Nevertheless, we still need to find some time to "live" life while still pursuing those areas.  The act of stopping to smell the roses is not only important to our quality of life, it is also a way to be more productive in the long run. Smell The Roses Equals Fun Although the original intent of this phrase was likely m...

There comes a time where you have a difference of opinion from your customer.  This may be due to personal taste, or it may be a misunderstanding.  There are even cases where a customer insists on a path that goes against your experience, morals, ethics, or is otherwise non-negotiable.  There is not one answer for all of these situations so let's look at reasons why you should hold your ground. Yo...

We all like to work through the problems we have been presented.  However, this is not the fastest way to a solution.  When we are in an office, we can pester our co-workers.  On the other hand, we can always use search engines to pester the entire Internet instead. Search Engines Require Thoughtful Questions The first thing to know about search engines is how to properly ask a question.  Although...

Eating the Frog is a term that may be new to you.  Simply put, this is the idea of getting the things done that you want to do the least.  It is a popular way to improve productivity and get things done.  However, it is also a practice that can help with reducing stress and increasing happiness.  In this episode, we look at how doing what you dislike is a key to happiness. Removing Obstacles is Ke...

In this episode, we take the risk of self-promotion and look at the elements of a good mastermind program.  We put our money where our mouth is in this respect.  The program we recommend happens to look a lot like ours.  However, this episode is more than an advertisement.  We lay out some features that you can add to yours or look for when selecting one. Accountability is Key To a Mastermind Prog...

In case you have not noticed, mobile applications are all the rage.  In fact, the very definition of mobile is constantly evolving as well.  The apps that were aimed at tablets and phones now include those aimed at more devices.  These include devices like Google home and Amazon Alexa as well as general IOT devices.  This flood of platforms makes the native vs. mobile approach to building applicat...

The modern landscape in almost every line of business makes it less likely than ever that we will stay in one job throughout our career.  Switching careers has even become more common as the Internet has opened up new avenues and lowered barriers to entry.  That being said, in this episode, we look at the pros and cons for ourselves and our employees of moving around. Switching Careers Can Be A Sm...

We get into a line of business to crush it.  At least, I assume that is our goal.  I cannot think of anyone that launched a business with the goal of barely getting by or outright failure.  Crushing it requires a lot of blood, sweat, and tears.  However, there are things we can do to make success more likely. Do What You Love The most important part of crushing it is having a desire to see your go...

The journey to a product launch can seem incredibly long.  However, the final steps in polishing a product for commercial availability cannot be ignored.  Doing so risks sinking the product or at least slowing its adoption. Commercial Products are Different A key point of this episode is that commercial software carries higher expectations than other types.  Whether it feels that way or not, there...

One of the most valuable lessons I have learned is the joy of a team victory.  We can celebrate and be proud of individual accomplishments.  However, it is better when you can share the joy with others that were part of the struggle.  We can do a lot to improve our lives, but the way to make the most impact is to find others to share your journey. A Team Victory Can Come At Any Time In sports a te...

A challenge for many IT workers is business networking.  We chose out career often as a desire to avoid dealing with people more than we have to.  We are often introverts and not very comfortable in a crowd.  That makes it even harder for us to find our way to a useful discussion in a networking environment. Business Networking Is Critical The problem is, of course, that we have to network to buil...

One of the reasons for an enjoying an IT career is problem-solving.  We get to face a challenge of varying levels every day.  That can lead to us spending more time working on a problem than we need to.  Thus, we need to keep in mind schedules and resources we have to meet our deadlines. Problem-Solving as a Team Sport There is a reason we find many developer offices set up in a way that lends its...

We live in the technology age.  Also known as the information age.  Thus, we have more and easier ways to educate ourselves each day.  As Apple says, "there is an app for that."  However, we need to be intentional in our approach to continuing education.  Moderation is best and a roadmap will help us reach our goals. Continuing Education Via the Internet A core strength of the Internet is the deli...

A higher degree in my mind is anything beyond a high school diploma.  These days, that diploma is almost always a minimum requirement for a technology job.  There are just too many applicants that have that and more. A Higher Degree Sets a Baseline A degree is a great way to raise the ceiling for your career, but it also is a way to lift the floor.  In fact, a college degree can be a path to avoid...

Experience is the number one asset you can bring to your job.  A close second is a degree and certifications.  There are situations where a decision is required between a degree (or higher degree) or technical certification.  It turns out that certifications are often a better deal and a quicker payoff than that advanced degree. Certifications Require Time and Money The value of a certificate in a...

We have all heard that it is better to give than receive.  However, instead of taking it at face value, this is something worth looking at deeper.  In this episode, we look at how to live a life we love and passing that along to others through giving. Charity Is More Than Money The first thing to consider is that money is just one way we can give.  There also may be a number of ways you want to gi...

Accounting may not be the most exciting part of a business, but it is an integral part of success.  We primarily keep score for our business based on how it generates revenue.  More importantly, a company needs to gain a profit on that income.  When we do not track the ins and outs of our funds, we are more likely to have more going out than in. Accounting As A Means of Protecting Ourselves When a...

System security is a big business.  We see hackers in the news all the time, and no one wants to be the next victim that has to admit to a breach.  This allows security firms to charge top dollar for their services and consultation.  However, there are a lot of simple and inexpensive steps we can take to dramatically reduce the odds of being the next victim System Security Through Smart Procedures...

We have looked at a few ways to improve productivity through the early podcast episodes.  However, we have only touched on the idea of rhythm and how it can make or break us.  Habits are hard to break, whether good or bad and those are the things that drive our natural rhythm Know When You Are At Your Best The first step in getting productive is to determine what works for you.  There are some var...

I have to admit that the Develpreneur icon and banners are not designed by me.  I used a site called 99 Designs for this work.  I have a few skills and none of them are brand design.  Thus, I outsourced that work so I could have something that was effective. Brand Design: Play To Your Strengths Many (maybe even most) of us have passable design skills at best.  We are visionaries or technicians, bu...

When best practices are considered for development, version control has become a normal facet of any modern coding.  Many integrated development environments now include integration to some version control by default.  In fact, Git is often assumed as the tool of choice.  That being said, we still need to use these tools properly. Version Control Requires Regular Usage The most common failing I fi...

Burnout is a big stumbling block to productivity. It is a bit like clinical depression where you are not sure it is coming, but when it hits, recovery is painful.  In this episode, we look at some of the signs of burnout and even some warning signs.  However, we do not stop there.  We also look at ways to stay productive, push hard, and still avoid burnout. Burnout Comes in Many Forms There are ma...

Of all the skills I have learned, business communication has paid the greatest dividends.  This is not a difficult skill to learn.  However, practice, experience, and honest feedback are the key ingredients to become a master. Business Communication - Short and Sweet The old phrase "short and sweet" is a great way to sum up what I have learned.  The audience for any business communication (email,...

When we get serious about development we have to use enterprise tools.  These include version control, defect tracking, change management, and multiple development environments.  These development environments range from pure development to testing, staging, and finally production.  In this episode, we explore how to build and use each of these. Development Environments Cover the Full SDLC A good...