How Solo Developers Get Paid Without Tracking Hours

If you feel stuck in your tech career, your peers won't be the ones who help you rise above it. Click Here To Learn About The Solo Technical Consultant Workshop When I launched my first YouTube channel 8 years ago, I was called a sellout, a fake developer, and a grifter. And that was after I gave away hundreds of hours of content and coached over 300 developers for free. In their eyes, anything other than writing code made me a traitor to the craft. Look, I've worked in software for 30 years. And I love the craft, too. But when I wanted more, I was confronted with a harsh truth: the developer community doesn't reward freedom. It rewards conformity. And just like the mafia, if you try to leave, they'll try to pull you back in. And here's what makes this so sneaky: it doesn't always show up as direct attacks. Sometimes it's "jokes." Sometimes it's subtle shaming. Sometimes it's the unspoken rule that the only respectable path is: keep coding, keep climbing, keep collecting credibility—forever. If you step outside that script to learn sales, marketing, positioning, or consulting… you're "not a real dev." (00:00:00) Welcome To Developer Reborn (00:00:34) Developer Misery Loves Company (00:02:00) Drama Queens of Tech (00:03:51) The Rotten Carrot (00:05:27) Unqualified Guides (00:06:53) The "Lazy Developer" Trope (00:08:36) The Certified Dabbler

Why solo developers should be the face of their business—especially if you want to guide companies for a premium price without feeling salesy. Click Here To Learn About The Solo Technical Consultant Workshop If you're a solo developer trying to land clients, it's tempting to hide behind a clever company name so you look "more legit." I used to think that too. But over the years I learned the opposite is true: putting your name at the front of your business can reduce risk for the buyer and make it easier for them to say yes. (00:00:00) Welcome To Developer Reborn  (00:00:34) Don't Create a Company!  (00:01:57) Clients Are NOT Companies  (00:03:19) 1. You Make Buying Easier  (00:04:23) 2. You Own The Results  (00:05:28) 3. No Headcount Pressure  (00:06:30) 4. Clients Know Who They're Getting  (00:07:47) 5. Pivot Without a Rebrand 

How top developers break through salary caps using value-based pricing for a Technical Consulting offer. Click Here To Learn About The Solo Technical Consultant Workshop Ever feel like companies care more about how fast you work than how good your work actually is You're not imagining it—and the real problem goes much deeper than deadlines or burnout. If everything you do in tech is measured in hours, there's a hard ceiling on how much you can earn. In this episode, I'll show you why that ceiling exists, and how top developers break past it without tracking hours. You'll learn how experienced consultants think about value, why businesses don't buy "effort," and how companies actually realize money from growth and cost savings. This isn't about tricks, confidence hacks, or negotiating harder. It's about understanding how companies measure value—and positioning your work so you're paid accordingly.  (00:00:00) Welcome To Developer Reborn  (00:00:34) Work Tied To Hours Hits A Ceiling  (00:01:45) Companies View Consultants Differently  (00:03:00) How Companies Realize The Value Of Offers  (00:04:56) Getting Paid To Help Companies Grow  (00:05:47) Getting Paid For One-Time Revenue Growth  (00:07:27) Getting Paid To Grow Recurring Revenue  (00:09:09) Getting Paid To Reduce Costs  (00:09:59) Getting Paid To Reduce Recurring Costs  (00:11:23) How Value-Based Pricing Earns $300/hr 

One book helped me overcome fear and start working for myself when nothing else would. The Bible. Click Here To Learn About The Solo Technical Consultant Workshop Ever wanted to quit your corporate tech job and work for yourself, but couldn't bring yourself to take the leap? You're not alone. I was stuck there for years. In this episode, I share how I went from being a burned-out corporate tech employee to working for myself in tech for nearly a decade—and how faith played a central role in giving me the courage to move forward when there were no guarantees. I talk openly about fear, control, money, and the illusion of security that comes with a traditional software engineering career. If you're thinking about self-employment, consulting, freelancing, or building an independent business in tech, this video will help you reframe how you think about risk, control, and purpose. I walk through four common lies the tech industry sells us about safety and success, and how Scripture helped me confront them.  (00:00:00) Welcome To Developer Reborn  (00:00:34) Disaster Struck When I Gave In To Fear  (00:02:37) The Lie of Self-Sufficiency  (00:05:42) The Illusion of Control  (00:08:48) The True Provider  (00:12:25) The Call To Purpose 

Having a Technical Guide offer overcomes every frustrating aspect of grinding it out as a tech employee. Click Here To Learn About The Solo Technical Consultant Workshop After nearly three decades in software, I've learned a hard truth: most developers never actually escape the grind—they just upgrade to a slightly nicer cage. I hit that realization years ago when I opened my laptop to track my hours and suddenly saw it for what it was: the same deadlines, the same pressure, the same feeling that no one really cared what I thought. I wasn't consulting… I was just coding for a different employer. I walk through the GRIND acronym to show why the industry keeps you stuck as a task-runner, and how shifting into a specialized, technical guidance-driven way of working gives you autonomy, stability, and respect. (00:00:00) Welcome To Developer Reborn  (00:00:34) I Was Doing Fake Consulting  (00:01:47) The Low Value Generalist Trap  (00:04:19) The Delusion Of Employee Stability  (00:06:24) Communicate Your Value Or Stay Invisible  (00:07:50) Don't Normalize Being A Victim  (00:09:31) Technical Guides Never Defer To Clients, They Lead 

The five main ways solo developers find clients for their Technical Guide offer, and a simple framework to help you decide which path to start with. Click Here To Learn About The Solo Technical Consultant Workshop Most developers who want clients don't actually know where to find them. I've been a developer, architect, and consultant for over 25 years. And in that time, I've learned what works (and what doesn't) when it comes to finding and landing high-value clients without relying on job boards or sketchy marketplaces. Whether you're a developer with a day job who's just starting to think about offering a technical guidance service, or you've tried freelancing without much success, this episode will help you choose the path that actually fits your situation and personality. You'll walk away knowing where to look first for clients—and how to avoid wasting time on methods that don't match your strengths or current stage. (00:00:00) Welcome To Developer Reborn  (00:00:34) Overcoming Fear Of Finding Clients  (00:01:37) The 4 Aspects Of Choosing A Method  (00:03:38) Cold Outreach  (00:04:47) Networking  (00:05:43) Content Marketing  (00:06:58) Speaking Engagements  (00:08:10) Advertising  (00:09:18) Getting Referrals  (00:09:48) Which Method Is Best For You? 

The LEVRIDGE framework helps developers create a Technical Guide offer you can use to transition into self-employment without quitting your day job. Click Here To Learn About The Solo Technical Consultant Offer Workshop Ever feel like you're stuck renting your career—while your skills are worth way more than your paycheck? After consulting for 20+ companies and coaching over 140 developers, I discovered a repeatable path to becoming a technical guide with a signature offer. One that lets you work just 8-10 hours a week on the side until you're ready to go all in.  (00:00:00) Welcome To Developer Reborn (00:00:34) What Is Premium Consulting? (00:01:49) Get Paid $300 Per Hour Minimum (00:02:26) Evolving A Minimum Viable Offer (00:03:10) Provide Undeniable Business Value (00:03:50) Repeat The Same Outcome (00:04:46) Deliver Independent Of Other People (00:06:05) Measurable Value (00:07:07) Transition Gradually From Employment (00:07:59) Ecstatic Clients Grow Your Business

My 10-step system that helps developers turn their experience into a high-ticket consulting offer. Click Here to Learn About The Solo Technical Consultant Workshop Want to transition from software developer to a technical guide with a signature offer? Without freelancing, grinding hours, or taking random gigs?  And want to do it alongside your day job—for just a few hours a week until you're ready to go "all in"? Then create a signature offer from your expertise focused on delivering business value. You'll own your career and finally control your time, income, and future. (00:00:00) Welcome To Developer Reborn (00:00:34) Why Solo Consulting Is Better (00:01:59) Step 1: Discover Your Most Valuable Work (00:03:47) The 4 Types of Business Value We Create (00:06:02) Step 2: Select An Offer You Can Repeat (00:07:12) Step 3: Identify Who Needs Your Offer (00:08:08) Step 4: Find Prospects To Invite To A Call (00:09:15) Step 5: Prequalify Prospects Ready To Buy (00:10:35) Step 6: Personalize The Pitch For Prospects (00:12:54) Step 7: Close The Deal With A Prospect (00:14:00) Step 8: Deliver To And Serve Your Client (00:15:54) Step 9: Collect A Testimonial To Build Trust (00:17:06) Step 10: Reflect On How To Improve

Developer Reborn is a podcast for experienced software developers who feel like being an employee is holding them back. This show is about becoming a premium consultant—not freelancing, not billing by the hour, and not doing whatever random work a company wants done. If you work in the software industry and feel like being an employee is holding you back, you're not alone. After working in this industry for 30 years I can tell you that being an employee isn't just frustrating. It's a broken system. 8 years ago, I was a highly paid consultant in Austin, Texas. But I got hit with chronic insomnia and was forced to resign. I was an addict and suffering from depression. I had tried everything to cope with the tech industry grind. I was headed towards losing my marriage and kids. I needed a different way to make money in tech. So I quit the corporate grind to go solo. Like many developers, I had already tried doing the SaaS thing over my career 3 times. Even though we had strong beta programs, my startups didn't work out. I knew how to build products. What I didn't know was how to build a business. That all changed once I began coaching developers online on their career. I shared some of the strategies I'd used as a consultant to cope with the grind. I stumbled my way through learning just enough marketing, sales, and product management to work for myself. I grew the YouTube channel Healthy Developer to over 180k subscribers, cut my work hours to 20 per week, and still made over $100k per year. Along the way, my faith in Jesus Christ began shaping how I think about work and responsibility. But in 2024 I started seeing a trend. Developers were getting hit with chronic job instability. AI began scaring people into fear-based career decisions instead of helping them create leverage. So I took everything I learned as an employee, consultant, and career coach and created a workshop to help developers go solo. And to do it safely, alongside their day job—and build respect, leverage, and freedom that employment can never deliver. That led to this show. On Developer Reborn, I'll help you become a technical guide with a signature offer. This isn't freelancing or billing by the hour for whatever random work a company wants done. You decide what to do, who to work with, and they sign your contract. You get paid by asking for a percentage of the business results, not hourly. If you're done jumping through interview hoops, hoping your employer rewards your sacrifices, and starting your reputation all over again every time you take a new job, this is the place for you. You can also watch these episodes on the accompanying YouTube channel with the same name if you prefer. Welcome to Developer Reborn.