What I learned building a $1K MRR SaaS in 6 weeks
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Vadim Kravcenko
Helping startups get to the next level
Latest posts
Stand Out and Dare to Disagree
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I’m sorry
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Valueless CTO: High Salary, No Return
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How much a CTO makes and where can I find CTO Jobs?
Question: Here's the thing, I’m kind of stuck trying to figure out what a CTO actually makes in terms of $$$, most of the people in the field are secretive about how much they're getting. It's not just about the money (okay, it's a bit about the money), but also understanding if the money is worth it for me to switch from my corporate job. Plus,I have no idea where to find CTO jobs. Is it all…
How to become a CTO?
Question: Hey Vadim, Long-time reader, enjoy your content a lot. I've been a software engineer for about seven years now, doing mostly web development and taking over ownership of different modules step by step, expanding my people skills so to speak. Lately, I've been doing some thinking (maybe too much!) about where I'm headed professionally, I don't want to be a software engineer forever. I…
10x Engineers
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How can you tell if you’re a good developer?
Question: Hey Vadim, So, I've been coding for money for about 5 years now. I've jumped around a lot — Java, Javascript, Python, NodeJS — you name it. The job market's been great, making it super easy for me to switch between gigs. I've done both full-time and contract work across many different companies. I think I've reached the level of being senior as I take on more and more responsibility. At…
I’m finishing university, scared about future career prospects
Question: Hey, my name's Kalesh, I'm 22 and about to finish my bachelor's in August. Planning to be a software engineer. But, I keep hearing the job market's tough. Been reading online that lots of devs are struggling to find steady gigs. Is your company looking for any devs? What's your take on this? All my buddies are in the same boat, fighting to land jobs but everywhere demands at least 1-2…
I have a very poor work-life balance. How can I escape the grind?
Question: Hey Vadim, Here's the situation: from the moment my alarm clock interrupts my sleep, until I finally come home late at night, my life is essentially a never-ending cycle of sitting in front of the PC and stressing with a workload that feels like it's set to max. I feel like I'm playing Dark Souls around the clock. I'm doing solid 60+ hours EVERY week, running on a treadmill that's just a…
Mental Health in Software Engineering
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Why software projects fail
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What is your unethical CS career’s advice?
Question: Hey Vadim, I’m starting to question a lot of the conventional wisdom handed down to us about climbing the tech ladder. You know, the whole "work hard, play fair, and success will come" spiel. I’m not so sure anymore. It feels slow, I'm looking for shortcuts maybe? e.g. unethical software engineer advice. To summarize: I’m, 25, fresh out of college, a young software developer, eager to…
My coworker rewrote all my code, what should I do?
Question: Hello Vadim, I'm reaching out to you for some advice, as something weird happened, and I'm not sure how to react. Here are the key points For the past six months, I've been working in my role as a Python Backend Developer, diligently maintaining and extending the Python backend for one of our services for the main product. I was diligently following the guidelines for the code, for the…
Falsehoods Junior Developers believe about becoming Senior
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How do you know when to use which programming language?
Question: Hi, My name is Alex. I just graduated university, I'm confused, how do I choose a programming language for a job? Does it matter? Will I be assigned a programming language? Thanks for the help. Answer: The post How do you know when to use which programming language? appeared first on Vadim Kravcenko .
How to get programming experience when you can’t find a job?
Question: Hello Vadim, It's been almost a year since I graduated as a CS major and was high on enthusiasm, ready to dive into the tech industry. Yet, here I am, feeling like shit, like I've hit a wall, my initial excitement replaced with a growing sense of frustration and, if I'm being totally honest, a bit of depression. The job market hasn't been welcoming, and every rejection email feels like a…
Do some people just not have the talent for Software Engineering?
Question: Hi, I wanted to share my story and why I'm a bit confused. After graduating college, I landed jobs as a Software Engineer at two respected companies. No, they weren't FAANG, but they were places where I thought I could grow, contribute, and make a decent amount of money. It didn't go as planned, or at least not as I expected. (Maybe my rose glasses fell off) At my first job, my manager…
How to learn coding without a degree?
Question: Hey Vadim, I'm kinda lost. My background is in sales, but to be honest, I find myself disconnected from it. Not having fun, not enjoying it, don't like people as much. Science/Math was never on my radar until recently, all my friends make so much money working in IT, and I want to try and break into this field I want to learn programming without a degree. Where should I start with…
What to expect from the dev agency after MVP is done?
Question: Hello Vadim, I'm standing at a crossroads, we've just wrapped up the development of our mobile app MVP with an external software development company (quite successfully I might add), and I'm now facing a barrage of questions that keep me up at night, more so than my three-year old. I tried googling, but I get vague answers. First off, what kind of documentation (technical and otherwise…
How to better handle stress in a startup?
Question: Hey Vadim, Thanks a lot for the articles, they help a lot. I've been on a pretty wild journey these past few years, and I find myself at a crossroads, looking for some guidance. A few years back, I managed to secure a spot in the top university of my country in Software Engineering, (not in the US though). This was a significant achievement in itself. I was really happy at the time, I…
Startup Infrastructure: Scaling from Zero to Enterprise
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Healthy Code Reviews
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Security at Startup
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Handling Process Debt in IT
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How to determine app idea is technically feasible as a non-technical founder?
Question: I'm a non-technical founder with a concept for a productivity app that sets screen time limits and rewards users for staying below these limits. However, I'm struggling to determine if this idea is technically feasible, especially considering the data access restrictions imposed by platforms like iOS. Despite extensive research on Apple's developer forums I'm still not sure. I'm seeking…
Postmortems in Software Development
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Every software is messy and has skeletons
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Habits of great software engineers
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Networking as an introvert CTO
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Database Migrations
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Asking questions the right way
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Aging Code
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Managing difficult software engineers
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Can an offshore dev agency steal your code?
Question: hey Vadim, I'm a CTO at a newly created startup and we're looking to outsource development to an offshore dev agency. I understand the importance of the intellectual property. It's my first time working with an offshore outsourcing company, and I have some concerns about the security of our code, and who owns what. Specifically, I'm worried about the potential risk of our code being…
Is development the right career for me?
Question: Recently, during a work review with my boss, I was confronted with a question that's been lingering in my mind for a few years: "Is software development truly the right career for me?" While I've always delivered my tasks on time and met expectations, my boss noticed my lack of enthusiasm for programming outside of work and my indifference towards new technologies. Since my college days,…
Is coding bootcamp better than university?
Question: Hi Vadim, I'm 20 and want to become a software engineer, I'm at a crossroads in deciding the best educational path to take. I've heard a lot about coding bootcamps from some of my friends and their promise of teaching practical skills from the get-go in 90 days. On the other hand, universities offer a more traditional and comprehensive education in computer science, but it's 4 years? I'm…
As a non-technical founder what should I be doing while the product is developed?
Question: As a non-technical co-founder of a startup, I'm currently in a phase where our CTO and the technical team are busy developing our product. While I trust their expertise in handling the technical aspects, I'm unsure about my role during this phase. What specific responsibilities should I take over during the development phase in order to be successful? How can I ensure that I'm adding…
Is 150K USD a reasonable rate to build a mobile app?
Question: As a startup founder, I've recently been quoted a rate of 150K USD for the development of a mobile app for my product. I'm trying to understand if this is a reasonable amount to invest in our app development. I've also had a quote of 50K for wireframes/designs from an agency? What factors should I consider when determining whether this is a fair price? How does this rate align with…
Should I quit my well-paid job to start a startup?
Question: I'm currently in a well-paid and stable job that provides a comfortable lifestyle. However, I've been nurturing a small startup idea. I'm grappling with the decision of whether to leave my current job to pursue this dream. I'm really afraid of leaving my job and ending up with nothing. Can you give me a bit of guidance? What are the pros and cons? How can I evaluate the risks involved…
How to stop thinking like an engineer and think like a businessman?
Question: As an engineer, I've been trained to solve problems and to focus on the technical aspects of a project. However, I'm finding that as I want to do startup stuff, I need to start thinking more like a businessman. How can I shift my focus from the technical details to the broader business implications, become like a mix of CEO and CTO? How can I make decisions more effectively from a…
Is it a bad idea if I build the MVP of my startup on my company’s pc?
Question: Hello, I'm in the process of developing the Minimum Viable Product (MVP) for my startup, it's a simple idea for a gaming app that should help you learn investing. However, I'm currently employed and the only available resource I have for this development is my company's computer. I'm wondering, what are the potential drawbacks and risks associated with developing the MVP for my startup…
How dangerous is over-engineering for a start up?
Question: Hey Vadim, I hope to tap into your CTO experience. We're building a startup and are constantly grappling with the balance between creating robust, future-proof solutions and delivering value to our customers in the most efficient way possible. Basically we're over engineering and preparing to scale to billions of requests from the get go. So i'm very interested in understanding the…
How do I tell my cofounder I need to quit?
Question: I've been running in overdrive mode the last year or so, I've come to a crossroads where I feel the need to step away from my role and pursue a different path. I am grappling with how to convey this decision to my co-founder, who has been my partner in this journey. What is the most effective and considerate way to communicate to my co-founder that I have made the decision to resign from…
What does a CTO actually do?
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Being a good mentor – a developers guide
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Healthy Documentation
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Rules of Thumb for Software Development Estimations
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Bullsh*t Jobs
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Product Owner vs Project Managers
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