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Originally Posted by asorelli
Not sure if web dev is your main focus, or if you have other projects in the works? It's sort of been my fall back, and will occassionally take on a project here and there. But I know it was a competitive market back then, can only imagine it's much more fierce now. Especially with AI. Not that I think AI replaces good coders, but it's making a damn good effort. I popped into one of the well know freelance sites and it was busy, but there were also many, and I mean MANY offers, so it's probably more challenging these days to get bigger jobs. Hopefully you can pick up where it's dipped with referrals. I am sort of at a crossroad myself. I don't think starting something else right now is the best time. Just shut down a different project that was only costing money. Fun times ahead is my guess!
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Website development is my main focus. Technical consultation and business strategy has come up a few times this past year. It's been a successful endeavor and fun!
A lot of people are retiring, and referrals are harder to come by than they used to be. I didn't expect this to happen so suddenly, or in the ways that it has manifested, but I did feel like this over correction was coming. I don't think this was inevitable though. This "crisis" feels manufactured.
AI has entered the channel, but I don't think AI is really big picture. I'll probably get a lot of hate from AI stans here. AI provides the means to succeed in different ways. That's not to say some of it isn't amazing technology. I've been learning about transforming data segments into multidimensional databases using AI this past year, and that kind of technology is legitimately astonishing. Vibe coding isn't long-term thinking. Telling a natural language intelligence to generate you code out of someone else's untested garbage is akin to grabbing random snippets off of DHTML sites--or using THIS WordPress plugin to fix THAT plugin's bad code. Will it make you money? If you're lucky, sure. Is it going to scale? I am unconvinced. Human beings problem solve. That logical capability is extremely rare and unique. In times of crisis, it is invaluable. Once you find someone like that and you have a good relationship with them, do not let them go. I don't think the people who push AI so hard really valued human ingenuity before AI. You don't want to work with people who don't value you.
I'm really excited about the two SaaS projects I launched this past year, but they're not for everyone. They're already successful, but I guess how successful remains to be seen. The feedback I've received so far has been encouraging and I want to improve them. It's a passion for me. Who couldn't use more clients? I certainly could!
I don't think it's a bad time to start something. Everyone is shutting their doors, so now actually IS the opportune time to invest in a new idea. With everyone tightening their belts, the market will have gaps that were previously filled. What do the rich do when the market plummets? They buy.
Because so many companies are pulling back, if you have a stable and strong income, I don't recommend leaving it. This is going to cause a lot of burnout, but what can you do?
You ever see that DS9 episode Past Tense about the Bell Riots?