The Curse of Being a Web Developer
Starting a small business comes with countless challenges. As a business owner, you’re constantly juggling responsibilities and working to turn your vision into reality. But one surprising truth I’ve discovered is that being a web developer can be as much of a curse as it is a blessing.
The Blessing: The Power to Build and Shape
Having the skills to design and build a platform is undeniably useful. You can create remarkable things and use your technical knowledge to propel your business forward. However, when you’re wearing multiple hats and trying to launch a startup, you soon realise that time is a luxury you don’t have. Balancing all aspects of running a business means finding time to fully develop new parts of your project can feel more like a burden than a blessing.
The Curse: Losing Focus on Other Vital Tasks
As developers, it’s easy to get caught up in the technical side—planning user journeys, designing seamless interfaces, and strategising the entire build. But these tasks can take you away from other essential business functions, like marketing, managing social media, and growing your brand. It can be overwhelming and, at times, frustrating.
The Challenge: Building Spiky Carrot
When I started Spiky Carrot, my web development skills were tested to their limit. Years of experience across different industries gave me insight into what small business owners need to boost their visibility and promote their brands. That’s exactly what I set out to create with Spiky Carrot—a platform designed to help businesses get noticed, while offering users a great experience. But building something like this demands time, late nights, and a lot of dedication.
The Reality: A Labour of Love
The truth is, web developers are deeply committed to results. We spend countless hours perfecting the user experience, ensuring every feature works smoothly, and making sure the platform does what it’s meant to do. It’s a labour of love, but one that requires persistence, patience, and often a fair bit of sacrifice.
The Invitation: Join the Journey
So, if you’re a small business owner looking to increase your visibility, join me on this journey. And if you’re a fellow web developer, you’ll no doubt understand the unique mix of pain and joy that comes with this role.
A Surprising Realisation: The Drive to Keep Creating
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned on this journey is that just when you start to create something special, and people begin to notice your work, you get a surge of energy that drives you to keep going. But then, you find yourself back in the cycle of creating something that requires significant time and effort to help others achieve their goals.
The Developer’s Dilemma: Balancing Creativity with Reality
The most dangerous phrase you can say to a web developer is, "Wouldn’t it be great if it did this?" because while we’re eager to bring that vision to life, we’re also mentally mapping out all the steps needed to make it happen. Yet, without customer feedback, a product can never evolve to its full potential. Ultimately, the goal is to build a platform that people love to use, and I’ve realised that leveraging my skills is what will help Spiky Carrot grow.
Breaking the Developer's Curse: The Power of Delegation and Collaboration
I’m now realising that bringing in extra help and offloading tasks to third parties or even supportive friends is the only way to break the curse many developers face. It’s a constant balancing act, but it’s what drives us to build something extraordinary. Without involving others, though, you risk no one fully benefitting from the value you’ve created as a developer.
Final Thoughts
By registering with Spiky Carrot, you’ll experience firsthand the advantage of working with a founder who is both a business owner and a developer, dedicated to your success. Get started today and see the difference!