Developer to
Self Funded Maker: An Ongoing Journey

Twitter: @jjmu15

Email: hello@jamie-murphy.com

What is my definition of being self funded?

• I have the choice of who I work with and on what products (not dictated by finances)

• I have projects of my own with actual users/customers to keep my motivation up

• Doesn't necessarily mean a startup owner or 100% funded by my own projects

My Journey

(and mine alone)

Agency Developer

Developer with clients on the side

Back to agency life as a CTO
(tried to make a change)

Contract Developer

Cofounded a digital agency

"Launched" my first successful product

Self funded for 10 months

Product Focussed Roles

Product Roles & Self Funded Mix

Turned down seed funding for a project

I wasn't born with an entrepreneurial mind

Employment mindset

• work my way up "the ladder"
• always look for external ways to earn more
• switch off after work
• self development was a "work" task

Whilst employed I always tried to "make it on the side"

• my job always came first
• burnout
• had to turn down great projects and opportunities
• never really made a commitment to making it by myself

#1 Traditional Employment
#2 Remote Work
#3 Freelancing
#4 Making my own products & services
#5 Switching from agency to product based roles
 

• First remote job - accidental interview
• Leaving remote job to become a freelancer - jealousy
• Freelance - lazy mindset, still not committing to my own projects
• Switching from agency to product based roles - learnt about quality & really putting users & the product first - a hard lesson for me
• Stopped living passively and became in control of my journey

First steps into being self funded were hindered by agency mindset

• I earned very well at first
• Over time new opportunities became harder to find
• I became extremely dissatisfied with my output and career.
• Led to career changes for the wrong reasons

How I changed my whole mindset towards work

• Self development is essential & not just a work task
• Audible is amazing
• Books
• Podcasts 
• Travelling
• Long form blog posts 
• Networking & learning from those around me
• Skillshare
• Practice Projects
• Surrounded myself by those who inspire me to be better
• Mindfulness
• Healthy Eating & Fasting
• Cleaned my online space

My first successful "passive" project was 100% an accident

Lessons Learnt

• Focus. Don't get distracted by other projects
• Get it shipped!!
• Don't let doubt or fear dissuade you
• Don't discount non-english markets!

Another Successful Hungarian project

• Another plugin to a third party service
• Another Hungarian only product
•  

Question for the Hungarians

It seems to me like most Hungarians choose to ignore the local market.

Why?

• 1 big project
• still not live
• time wasted?

• Focussing on smaller projects
• Still lessons to be learnt from product based roles
• For bigger projects, find alternative methods of delivery than just one person
• The best opportunities come from real life needs
  • New project coming soon
    • over 50% built despite only starting a month ago

• Have you tried anything different?
• Any major changes or learnings that you implemented that had a massive effect?

Tim Ferris

The Knowledge Project

• Building a Story Brand
• Never Split The Difference: Negotiating as if your life depended on it
• The Obesity Code
• Mind Hacking: How to Change Your Mind for Good in 21 Days
• The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck:

Why Maker?

• Unrestrictive
• Always evolving
• Free of stereotypes (for now)