

#DEVSLOPES MARK PRICE CODE#
This could be from new features on the product roadmap, to refactoring code to reduce crashes and bugs. Which brings us to #3! 3 - Better informed decisionsĪrmed with some level of coding knowledge, you’ll be able to understand (on some fundamental level), what obstacles engineering might face with any product related changes. Your team will know you understand what obstacles may lie ahead, and will have confidence that you have taken their concerns into account. They know you’ve gone through the same coding tribulations, how easily bugs can sneak into code, and what may seem easy on the surface could actually be a tangled web of complex algorithms. Engineers respect other engineers because they can establish some level of common ground. This is where knowing some code comes in handy. Without this, teams will lose focus on the company’s main goalpost, and focus more of their energy on making sure the other party validates their concerns. But for small teams to function at a high level, there needs to be some level of understanding for each respective field. We need this feature in pronto!Įngineering: Business people don’t understand! They think x feature is so easy, but it will take at least a month! I could have written better code earlier, which would have cut this timeline down, but it was because every previous feature needed to be done with an unreasonable deadline! This cycle never ends! I’ve met countless teams that depict this clear divide:īusiness People: Our competitors have this simple chat feature for customer success and we need it in order to compete and nurture more sales. There is often a classic struggle that happens between business people and engineering. You’ll understand how engineering teams operate.You can begin to garner feedback on your product and adjust accordingly.Decrease communication barriers with engineers (because it’s you :)).Better visualize the product you’re building and the steps needed to grow.You’ll be able to actually start validating your idea, test features, and maybe even get your first customer! You’ll also be able to answer all the questions above, as well as: Once you’ve invested a few months in learning the basics, you’ll probably be able to start building V1 of your product. The opportunity cost was nearly a year I could have spent learning to code, and prove to potential co-founders that I have something worth working on. The list goes on! For one of my ventures, it took 6 months to find the right technical co-founder, and after another 5 months of building, things fell apart. What kind of contract should I prepare?.What languages / frameworks do I need so I can hire the right person?.How do I know I’m not getting ripped off?.How much should it cost to build what I need?.

This of course comes with a slew of other common questions: 1 - You can build your own MVP (Minimum Viable Product)ġ/3rd of our students are entrepreneurs looking to get a handle on technology, and one of the great benefits they’ve expressed is they can actually build and ship V1 (version one) of their product! Often in the early stages, non technical founders spend an enormous amount of time looking for the right technical partner, or spend thousands of dollars having their V1 built.

Upon analyzing many early stage startups (including my previous ventures), and speaking to numerous founders, I’ve compiled a list of the top 5 reasons why founders should learn to code. There are many great reasons to learn to code, but even more so as a founder or CEO.
