
Ask HN: Ever run a one-man software business? - gwbas1c
Anyone ever run a one-man software business? Is this a good direction to take a career in? I&#x27;d love to hear from other people who run these kind of businesses, and what their experiences are like.<p>Some general questions about a one-man software business: What kind of business do you run? Did you have a product, or a service, or some kind of a combination of the two?
What percent of your day is coding, versus tasks like bookkeeping, interacting with customers, ect?<p>What kinds of software make good one-man businesses? Do one-man businesses tend to grow and need subcontractors or employees, or are they good to keep under control? Do one-man businesses work better when lots of customers make small payments, or a handful of large customers make large payments?<p>What are some things a one-man business shouldn&#x27;t do?
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PaulHoule
Every one-man software business is different.

The canonical example is Bingo Card Creator:

[https://www.bingocardcreator.com/](https://www.bingocardcreator.com/)

A book you _must_ read for perspective is

[https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-
About...](https://www.amazon.com/Myth-Revisited-Small-Businesses-
About/dp/0887307280)

~~~
gwbas1c
Tried reading that book, but about 95% of it is hot air. I think the author's
system might be credible, but I got so tired of pages full of pointless
pontificating that I had to stop reading it. The author needs to get to the
point.

The book certainly is relevant for someone starting any business that will
have employees; but less so for a one man business. I really like the model in
"The Incredible Secret Money Machine," but it's about 25 years out of date. In
essence, the author basically creates businesses like the Bingo Card Creator
every 3-6 months.

I hoped other people could share their experiences with me.

