reinventing yourself and wanting to be a fulltime employee?
Or reinventing yourself with the aim of freelancing, or even running a consultancy.
I would say that there is (at 5 hours a day with a family) a fairly long learning curve to get to the point where you have learnt enough python/javascript then built something with it to prove your chops and then got a FT job.
You might be able to learn enough in 3-6 months to have someone take a chance on a 36 yearold junior programmer. But we are an ageist sexist industry.
So, if you are done with CSS / HTML but do not feel a burning need to program (you would have felt it by now), then yes I suggest you learn to program, always good, but instead try finding a decent programmer whom you enjoy working with (I would guess you have met some) - and then set up a side project of freelancing yourself and him/her to local businesses or SF startups.
Maybe start with local businesses, build up the working rapport. (Try charging retainers!)
If you just want a change, maybe running a side business that might one day become a FT operation is it.
Thanks for the advice. I do plan to work as a freelancer and with local businesses. I also want to create some cool website templates and sell them on themeforest.net etc.
Do you think making 2000-3000 bucks a month feasible by selling themes? I saved wisely during my financial services days and if I can reach $2000 per month figure then I will focus 100% on programming.
2K on themes - I have no idea but I suspect not - its a competitive marketplace.
I think you can make 2000 USD a month by creating tools for your local businesses.
Here is my suggestion: go buy a list of businesses in your area for about 200 USD. You will get something like 5000 businesses for that in suburban area.
Split them into industry, and find their websites (most likely provided as the email addresses). Visit each site in an industry and work out which ones are just brochures and whoch ones actually take money online (customer signin, has visa paypal on page)
Now you have two groups. The brochure-ware group you can approach with examples from the other group saying "your competitors are doing this online - want me to help?"
The second group you can approach with "Do you know how many
customers visited your site - and I can improve this"
(bonus points for actually dividing this group into those who have google analytics and those who dont)
No one pays for cool themes anymore (well 20 bucks is not really paying). People will pay through the nose if you up their sales.
I would say that there is (at 5 hours a day with a family) a fairly long learning curve to get to the point where you have learnt enough python/javascript then built something with it to prove your chops and then got a FT job.
You might be able to learn enough in 3-6 months to have someone take a chance on a 36 yearold junior programmer. But we are an ageist sexist industry.
So, if you are done with CSS / HTML but do not feel a burning need to program (you would have felt it by now), then yes I suggest you learn to program, always good, but instead try finding a decent programmer whom you enjoy working with (I would guess you have met some) - and then set up a side project of freelancing yourself and him/her to local businesses or SF startups.
Maybe start with local businesses, build up the working rapport. (Try charging retainers!)
If you just want a change, maybe running a side business that might one day become a FT operation is it.