Remotely Rich

Let me come right out of the gate and ask you THE question. Do you want to make $450,000 a year as a Web developer? I've done it and can teach you how to do it too. It's not rocket science. You don't need any special background or even an advanced education. Honestly, you don't even need to be the best of the best as a developer. What you do need is a simple, practical strategy to leverage your current or future programming skills into a successful remote contracting business. Yes, this means you must want to be self-employed, because that's what blows the lid off employee salary ceilings. You also must have a pretty good understanding about where the money is today in the Web development industry-what customers want in Web site functionality and types of development tools to be used. And it also helps to be a bit ahead of the curve with trends in the marketplace and tools so you're prepared for inevitable change. Of course you've got to have the skills that are in demand now. That means you should be a fairly accomplished developer or well on your way to that level. You need core skills beyond just one programming solution. Over-specialization can be risky and limit your market. A broad skill set with popular development tools opens the door to a vast number of customers and contracts. Simply put, versatility and decent competence with development tools means you can get jobs and deliver on what you apply for. I can't emphasize enough that it takes a lot of work to generate an income approaching $450,000 a year. It takes sacrifice, focus, solid skills, grit, the confidence to deliver quality work and a certain amount of marketing of your skills to reach that income. Succeed at this and you'll build an ever-growing portfolio of happy clients and a skill set that will serve you well. The rush of earning really good money is hard to describe. It's incredible to know that you're able to actually save a big chunk money each month after covering all the bills. And it's very rewarding to do this on your own terms, answering only to your customers and yourself. After I give you a little background on my story to offer some perspective, I'll step you through everything you need to know to build a highly profitable remote developer business that you control. I won't be discussing how to code because you've got to start with that foundation or are in the process of getting those skills. The chapters ahead will detail topics such as what's involved in making the big bucks, following the golden rules of workflow, understanding the mentality of an employee versus a vendor, establishing and operating your business, grasping the essentials about working remotely, managing client expectations, hiring help, finding leads and growing your business, taking care of yourself and work environment while working very hard, and rewarding yourself to enjoy the fruits of your labor. If you've worked in-house as a developer or heard anything about what goes on behind the scenes, you know that experience is a good teacher and a source of interesting stories. I'll briefly highlight some of my experiences, not just for the entertainment value-although a few might make you wonder what the hell is going on in our industry-but mainly for the lessons learned. So let's get you started on a path to more control over your life and earning some serious money.