Develpreneur: Become a Better Developer and Entrepreneur
779 episodes - English - Latest episode: 28 days ago - ★★★★★ - 12 ratingsThis podcast is for aspiring entrepreneurs and technologists as well as those that want to become a designer and implementors of great software solutions. That includes solving problems through technology. We look at the whole skill set that makes a great developer. This includes tech skills, business and entrepreneurial skills, and life-hacking, so you have the time to get the job done while still enjoying life.
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Episodes
Programming Terms - An Overview of Development Languages
May 21, 2018 10:00 - 22 minutes - 31.4 MBIn this episode, we focus on programming terms and concepts. This is the first in a short series that focuses on providing an overview of development languages. We will include modern languages but also will look at some older ones to help build a full context for understanding how these relate. First Step: Programming Terms We start the overview with a definition of terms and concepts. These are a combination of official descriptions and my view of the concepts. This should set the ...
Top 3 Reasons to Use Lists To Improve Productivity
May 18, 2018 10:00 - 24 minutes - 33 MBWe have all fallen prey to clicking on a list article of some sort. This is a well-known way to get readers to click on your post. However, you may not know that you can use lists to improve productivity. The same reason they have an attraction for us is a way to use them as research tools. Lists Are Everywhere We can all think of click-bait sites (and Facebook) that lure us into clicking on an ad or article link with the promise of a list. Before we condemn lists as tools of Satan, ...
Five Things To Take Off Your Plate and Streamline Your Work
May 16, 2018 10:00 - 23 minutes - 32.1 MBThis episode is the first in a two-part interview with Connor Gillivan of Freeeup.com. We started out with a focus on what he has learned as an entrepreneur at a couple of businesses. We discuss five ways to streamline your work that are easy to implement and highly cost-effective. I had a great time talking to him and hope you enjoy listening as much as I enjoyed the conversation. Spoiler Alert I am not going to spill the beans yet. However, these steps have a cost associated with t...
An Update on The Building Better Developers Podcast
May 14, 2018 10:00 - 20 minutes - 28 MBWe have flown through the first seventy-five episodes of this podcast. The website has also grown to over a hundred posts and articles. Thus. it seems like a good time to review what we have to offer as well as what to look for in the future of the building better developers podcast. Embracing Apple Podcasts and Amazon Alexa We have always been hosted on Apple podcasts and now have added Amazon Alexa to our platforms. For Amazon, just say "Alexa, Enable Building Better Developers." ...
Gain Wisdom Through Better Listening Skills
May 11, 2018 10:00 - 24 minutes - 34.2 MBOne of the most significant secrets to happiness is wisdom. Even though knowing the right thing to do and doing it are two different challenges, knowing is half the battle. There are many ways to gain wisdom. However, the most prevalent source is the people around us. Listen Before You Leap A skill that often comes up in the improvement of career, relationships, and customer satisfaction (among many others) is the ability to listen. It is important to remember that hearing and listen...
Use Written Communication To Improve Your Standing And Career
May 09, 2018 10:00 - 24 minutes - 34.2 MBWritten communication is a significant part of how we work in business. It is obvious when you look at how much of an MBA program includes writing. Many companies even push business writing classes as part of their employee training. Let Us Count The Ways We write emails every day. This is an excellent place to work on writing fundamentals. These include spelling, grammar, vocabulary, and even flow. Short form platforms like Twitter and text messages use a form of shorthand and do n...
Database Job Roles and Vendors - Databases Overview Part 2
May 07, 2018 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36.1 MBThis episode takes us through part 2 of the databases overview series. We spend time looking at the major players in the industry and then some of the job roles typically seen in this area of technology. The Major Players We start with a tour of the most significant players in the industry. These are almost all familiar names with IBM, Oracle, and Microsoft all in the top five. The other names may not be new to you either. MySQL and Postgres round out the top five. These are solutio...
How Team Sports, and Group Activities Make Your Life That Much More Enjoyable
May 04, 2018 10:00 - 23 minutes - 31.6 MBWe can get through life on our own. However, it is better when shared with others. This fact is one of those secrets to living a better life. It applies to team sports, groups we work with and any group activity. Great peace and enlightenment may be attributed to a guru on a mountaintop. That is not the same as true joy. In fact, do we ever picture a joyful experience as a person by himself? No, our pictures of happiness may be a single person, but when you think of greater satisfacti...
Evaluating Vendors and Selecting Solutions - More Than an RFP
May 02, 2018 10:00 - 22 minutes - 30.2 MBEven the lowliest of developers will come to a point where they are asked to look into a potential decision. Their role may only be as an advisor. However, evaluating vendors to some extent falls into our lap as a task to perform. There are "big" approaches to these evaluation requests, but proper use of free tools can be as valuable. The Vendor Is as Important as The Tool A typical error in evaluating a tool is minimizing the vendor that created it. Yes, tools are more than just the...
Logging Your Work - Best Practices in Learning From Mistakes and Reproducing Success
April 30, 2018 10:00 - 21 minutes - 30.1 MBThere are a broad range of reasons for logging or tacking the work we do. In technology work, we have such a varied bunch of tasks we perform that this becomes a crucial habit for avoiding re-inventing the wheel. At a high level, logging your work is a good habit. Thus, let's look at the ways this can be a benefit that more than pays for the time spent. Trial and Error There are times that we fall into the trial-and-error approach to solving problems. We know that this is not the bes...
Thinking Big - When The End Overwhelms The Means
April 27, 2018 10:00 - 24 minutes - 33.8 MBHope is a critical factor in a happy life and, in my opinion, that includes thinking big. The challenge is in remembering that any goal we set is a journey, not a "beam me up, Scotty" teleportation to that end. This can crush our hopes if we see that goal as too big to get to from here. Do not throw out your goals for being too big. Find a waypoint (or several) to help you avoid being overwhelmed. Can't Get There From Here There are cliches shown at times where someone is lost and as...
Recording Users and Heat Maps
April 25, 2018 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBOne of the most influential ways to improve your site is through recording users. When I say record, this is not just noting where they clicked. This is a recording that allows you to see the site as they do and watch as they navigate around. It is data that can be viewed on a per visit basis or aggregated to produce a heat map of common destinations. Tools Aplenty The good news for us modern developers is that there are several tools available to perform this task. They make it easy...
Databases Overview - Laying The Groundwork
April 23, 2018 10:00 - 25 minutes - 35.7 MBIn this episode, we continue the series of overview discussions. This time around we will cover a databases overview. We looked at SDLC in the prior installment of this series and will discuss databases in a two-parter. This first part includes definitions and high-level summaries of database engines, types, and terms. Databases Overview - The Engines To the untrained observer, a database is a place to store data. This definition works well if you do not need to go any deeper. Unfor...
Free Advice and Paid Advice - What Are You Paying For?
April 20, 2018 10:00 - 23 minutes - 32.5 MBIt is not uncommon to hear some give you free advice and follow up by saying you get what you pay for. Sometimes that is true. Unfortunately, bad advice can cost a lot if you follow it. On the other hand, paying for advice does not guarantee its value either. It is important to consider the pros and cons of the source before taking action in any case. Paid Advice is More Thoughtful The biggest difference between these two types of advice is the time put into providing it. When you a...
Making a Change to Stir the Pot
April 18, 2018 10:00 - 24 minutes - 33.9 MBThere are many ways to improve productivity. When hockey coaches substitute a goalie for no apparent reason, they are looking to spark a response by making a change. This same approach can be used in business or with any group you lead or manage. It is all about the difference you make and the message that is sent. Making A Change Breaks Comfort The best outcome of a change is that it will cause discomfort. I am not talking about the painful kind but instead getting people out of their ...
SDLC - The software development life cycle simplified
April 16, 2018 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36.5 MBA few years ago we created a one day course to teach IT to those that were not technical but still needed a general understanding of it. We covered six main topics, and the first was SDLC. Short for Software Development Life Cycle, this topic is much more mysterious than it needs to be. SDLC is a Set of Steps The life cycle boils down to steps that are taken to create software. Let me say these are steps that should be included. That is not always the case. Although this topic covers t...
Assumptions and Patience - Reducing Stress in Your Life
April 13, 2018 10:00 - 22 minutes - 31.3 MBI do not know about you, but my most significant challenges in life come from assumptions. When I am right, I can be ahead of the game and look like a psychic. On the other hand, mistaken assumptions can make me look foolish or lead to total failure. I have found that patience plays a part in this battle and that a smarter approach can reduce stress while increasing happiness. Lessons Learned The meat of this episode comes from recent personal experience. I made an assumption and luc...
Super Stars and Role Players - Building A Team
April 11, 2018 10:00 - 24 minutes - 34.1 MBIn my years of managing and coaching, I have found that the most significant challenge is often building a team out of the individuals. A good team will have a diverse cast of characters. This diversity is essential for the team to be successful. However, that means that a leader or manager has to find ways to provide benefit to the members of the group. This task is not a trivial one as you need to keep them focused while still highlighting a diverse set of achievements that appeal to t...
Selling New Technology To Your Boss
April 09, 2018 10:00 - 24 minutes - 34 MBSooner or later we all face the challenge of selling our boss or team on using the latest tool or technology. We love our work so selling new technology is a labor of love. The technology will help us grow professionally, progress in our career, and maybe even bring world peace. Ok, I went a little too far much like we sometimes do. Selling New Technology As An Improvement The best selling point we can make is that the advance we are pushing is a silver bullet. If we have something t...
Keeping Up With Pop Culture
April 06, 2018 10:00 - 22 minutes - 31 MBYou are more likely to be focused on business and technology than pop culture if you listen to this podcast. However, there is a value in keeping up with such general knowledge areas. One can argue that the time required to keep up with pop culture can be spent on better things. I would have a hard time disagreeing but the good news is that we can keep up without spending much extra time. Also, it can be a good way to get away from a problem and find a refreshing solution. Pop Culture ...
Building a Business: All-in vs. Bootstrapping
April 04, 2018 10:00 - 27 minutes - 38.4 MBWhen you start building a business there are two extremes you can follow. There is the all-in approach on one end and the bootstrap approach on the other. Fortunately, these are not mutually exclusive options so you can find a middle ground that works best for you. All In For Building A Business This approach is one that seems to be in most people's heads. There is the vision of the entrepreneur that as one that eats, sleeps, drinks, and breathes their business. They have long days focu...
Object-Oriented Design - A Pragmatic Approach
April 02, 2018 10:00 - 27 minutes - 38.4 MBObject-Oriented Design has been around for a few decades now. Therefore, we have whole generations of developers that have been taught OOD in their college courses as well as in their studies. I am a big fan of this approach to software. However, this, like many other theories, must be taken in moderation. You can over-design your objects just as databases can take normalization too far. Sand vs. Legos When I mention moderation, I think of a discussion from years ago about design. W...
Binge-Watching For Fun And Entertainment
March 30, 2018 10:00 - 24 minutes - 34.3 MBYou might find it odd that anyone would recommend bingeing of any sort. We all know that moderation is always best. Nevertheless, I think there is good that can come from binge-watching your way through a season or even a series. Let us count the ways. Binge-Watching Saves Time And Reduces Stress I am not a doctor, nor have I looked up research on binge-watching. However, let's think about some common traits across all types of shows. One of the traits every show has is a cliff-hang...
How To Decide When To Quit
March 28, 2018 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36.6 MBOne of the hardest choices to make with a business is to close the doors. Many of us have the "winners never quit" quote floating around in our head. That quote keeps us from ending things when that may be the best step to take. It also is likely a prime factor in the sunk-cost fallacy. In fact, knowing when to quit is almost as important as finding a window of opportunity. That idea that we have spent too much time and money on something to give up now. Success or Failure Can Tell You...
Developing Automation - Avoiding The Brute-Force Solution
March 26, 2018 10:00 - 29 minutes - 39.9 MBWe can code for a quick solution, or we can focus on developing automation for the same. There are times when we stumble across the latter while concentrating on the former. However, it is better to focus on automating the solution. This approach is not science, but the steps can help you overcome obstacles when you hit a brick wall. Steps For Developing Automation It is critical to understand that a process must be well-defined before we can begin work on automation. Therefore, it i...
Fun With Puzzles and Problem-Solving
March 23, 2018 10:00 - 24 minutes - 33.6 MBIt may seem odd, but one of the great things to embrace in life is puzzles. Whether you prefer crosswords, sudoku or any of the other puzzles out there, they can all provide more than a fun past-time. Stay Sharp The first benefit of puzzles and mental challenges is that they help you stay sharp. This may seem like just more work. However, one of the keys to good health is keeping mentally healthy. There are a lot of positive side effects of good mental health, and that includes thing...
Learn From Others (Before Becoming an Entrepreneur)
March 21, 2018 10:00 - 24 minutes - 34.1 MBOne of the attributes of a successful entrepreneur is a sense of what not to do. They still take risks, but the successful ones are either very lucky or have a good set of business skills. These skills can be learned but experience is often the best teacher. That is why those that are successful find a way to learn from others in prior jobs as an employee. One Step At A Time The idea of being an entrepreneur is in fashion. It has become a dream of many people that want to emulate aft...
Improve Productivity - Pick Up Your Head And Plan
March 19, 2018 10:00 - 24 minutes - 33.7 MBHow often have you been too busy to consider ways to improve productivity? Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon problem. We can easily get buried in day-to-day tasks and details. However, our best way forward often requires us to pick our heads up. Improve Productivity With Planning I think we all learn somewhere along the way that design and planning make us more likely to be successful in any endeavor. That makes it all the more frustrating when we find ourselves buried in the weed...
Buying Toys and Enjoying Life
March 16, 2018 10:00 - 24 minutes - 33.5 MBOnce we become adults we often relegate playing as something that died along with our childhood. This can often be a mistake. A trip for buying toys may look very different as an adult. However, it can still be one that refreshes us and triggers those same positive feelings we get with any reward. Buying Toys Can Be Practical The first thing to get clear is what toys mean. These are anything that we get enjoyment from. Thus, our toys can be things like tools, appliances, accessories, o...
Build Or Buy - Deciding What Is Right For You
March 14, 2018 10:00 - 26 minutes - 36.1 MBIn a simple way of looking at solutions, the decision comes down to build or buy. We run into this a lot in planning and running a business. Time after time we are faced with the decision of either doing something ourselves or finding someone else to handle it. Yes, even the decision to outsource boils down to a build or buy conundrum. Build Or Buy - Common Themes Although very situation requires reflection, there are similarities in these options that can help us with our decision. Thu...
Code Generation Or Manual Coding as a Learning Tool
March 12, 2018 10:00 - 27 minutes - 38 MBIt is hard to imagine how different software development was even a few decades ago. We used to have to write our applications manually. Heck, even copy and paste was complicated. Luckily, code generation is becoming common no matter which language you use. This may be in the form of direct generation of code or tools that make the process easier. However, that is not always the best way to get the job done. Frameworks and Generators The biggest bang for your buck comes from generators...
Stay True To Yourself For A Happy Life
March 09, 2018 11:00 - 27 minutes - 37.8 MBThe good and bad news about being truly happy is that it comes down to individual taste. We are only going to be truly happy when we are doing the things we enjoy. That means that focusing your success on what others want will not bring happiness. You must be true to yourself, and a little honesty does not hurt either. Know Yourself The scary thing is that we do not always know what is best for us. We listen to others and gauge our happiness on what we are told should lead to happiness....
Raises and Compensation For Your Employees
March 07, 2018 11:00 - 27 minutes - 37.1 MBWhen you start a business, the idea of proper compensation of employees is not often a primary concern. There may be a budget and a business plan. However, compensation is just a number at that point. The challenge changes once you put people into those positions and the discussions of compensation come up. Fair And Balanced Compensation Fair and balanced is not just a phrase for Fox News. This also should be your goal for compensating employees. It would be awesome if we could just po...
Building Your Personal Code Repository
March 05, 2018 11:00 - 27 minutes - 38.1 MBOf the countless tips and tricks I have learned over the years, none is more valuable than a personal code repository. We put so much time and effort into our source code it only makes sense to reap the benefits as long as possible. That is made possible by keeping track of what we have done and how to grab it for future use. Personal Code Repository Challenges One of the most significant challenges for a personal repository is maintaining access to your code. When a project wraps up, or...
Keeping Things Light In a Hectic World
March 02, 2018 11:00 - 26 minutes - 36 MBWe spend a lot of time talking about how to squeeze every drop out of each day. That includes ways to stay driven and avoid distractions. Although all of this is important, we also need to focus on keeping things light where possible. We have too much that is unquestionably serious to not take advantage when things can be casual. Keeping Things Light Requires Perspective The hardest part of keeping things light is avoiding the crushing weight of our goals and responsibilities. Let's face ...
Passive Networking and Building Trust
February 28, 2018 11:00 - 22 minutes - 30.4 MBThe type of networking where you shake hands and pass out business cards has its purpose. However, passive networking is a far more valuable tool for building your brand. This is where you build your network by offering help and support to others with no strings attached. Let's look closer at how this can work for you and how to avoid being taken advantage of. Passive Networking Is A Relationship The "friends" and "links" that you have on a social networking site are often a form of tradit...
A General Approach To Testing Strategies For Developers
February 26, 2018 11:00 - 25 minutes - 35.2 MBTesting strategies for developers are often seen as lacking import. To be honest, developers are in their role to write code, not provide quality assurance. However, that does not excuse the implementers from being part of testing and sharing that work. Simple Testing Strategies For Developers The strength of developers is creating solutions, not testing them. That is not a knock on developers, we all tend to be weak at verifying our work. Thus, effective QA work by developers requires ...
Stop and Smell The Roses
February 23, 2018 11:00 - 25 minutes - 35.5 MBLife is a busy thing for those of us in IT and pursuing entrepreneurial goals. Nevertheless, we still need to find some time to "live" life while still pursuing those areas. The act of stopping to smell the roses is not only important to our quality of life, it is also a way to be more productive in the long run. Smell The Roses Equals Fun Although the original intent of this phrase was likely more about the finer things in life, in our case I think we need to know what is "fun." Getting...
When to Give In When To Hold Your Ground
February 21, 2018 11:00 - 26 minutes - 36.5 MBThere comes a time where you have a difference of opinion from your customer. This may be due to personal taste, or it may be a misunderstanding. There are even cases where a customer insists on a path that goes against your experience, morals, ethics, or is otherwise non-negotiable. There is not one answer for all of these situations so let's look at reasons why you should hold your ground. You Are The Expert, But They Sign The Check I think the toughest of these situations is when you ...
Make The Most of Search Engines
February 19, 2018 11:00 - 24 minutes - 34.2 MBWe all like to work through the problems we have been presented. However, this is not the fastest way to a solution. When we are in an office, we can pester our co-workers. On the other hand, we can always use search engines to pester the entire Internet instead. Search Engines Require Thoughtful Questions The first thing to know about search engines is how to properly ask a question. Although most of them will handle standard English sentences that approach will not always return the b...
Eating the Frog and Reducing Stress
February 16, 2018 11:00 - 25 minutes - 34.9 MBEating the Frog is a term that may be new to you. Simply put, this is the idea of getting the things done that you want to do the least. It is a popular way to improve productivity and get things done. However, it is also a practice that can help with reducing stress and increasing happiness. In this episode, we look at how doing what you dislike is a key to happiness. Removing Obstacles is Key To Reducing Stress Depression and lack of productivity go hand in hand. Likewise, productivi...
Getting The Most From Mastermind Program
February 14, 2018 11:00 - 26 minutes - 36.5 MBIn this episode, we take the risk of self-promotion and look at the elements of a good mastermind program. We put our money where our mouth is in this respect. The program we recommend happens to look a lot like ours. However, this episode is more than an advertisement. We lay out some features that you can add to yours or look for when selecting one. Accountability is Key To a Mastermind Program I have found that the greatest value of a program like this is being held accountable. It ...
Native Vs Mobile Friendly Applications
February 12, 2018 11:00 - 27 minutes - 37.4 MBIn case you have not noticed, mobile applications are all the rage. In fact, the very definition of mobile is constantly evolving as well. The apps that were aimed at tablets and phones now include those aimed at more devices. These include devices like Google home and Amazon Alexa as well as general IOT devices. This flood of platforms makes the native vs. mobile approach to building applications a key consideration. Native vs. Mobile Friendly Can Be Simple The choice between the two o...
Switching Careers and Job Hopping
February 09, 2018 11:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBThe modern landscape in almost every line of business makes it less likely than ever that we will stay in one job throughout our career. Switching careers has even become more common as the Internet has opened up new avenues and lowered barriers to entry. That being said, in this episode, we look at the pros and cons for ourselves and our employees of moving around. Switching Careers Can Be A Small Step Technology ties together a lot of businesses and pursuits. It has even become a sort of...
Improving Your Odds of Crushing It
February 07, 2018 11:00 - 26 minutes - 36.8 MBWe get into a line of business to crush it. At least, I assume that is our goal. I cannot think of anyone that launched a business with the goal of barely getting by or outright failure. Crushing it requires a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. However, there are things we can do to make success more likely. Do What You Love The most important part of crushing it is having a desire to see your goals accomplished. When you focus on success rather than the steps along the way, you are almost ...
The Product Launch - A Todo List
February 05, 2018 11:00 - 27 minutes - 37.2 MBThe journey to a product launch can seem incredibly long. However, the final steps in polishing a product for commercial availability cannot be ignored. Doing so risks sinking the product or at least slowing its adoption. Commercial Products are Different A key point of this episode is that commercial software carries higher expectations than other types. Whether it feels that way or not, there is far less selling required for other applications. Bugs are part of any application, but wo...
A Team Victory Brings Great Joy
February 02, 2018 11:00 - 26 minutes - 35.8 MBOne of the most valuable lessons I have learned is the joy of a team victory. We can celebrate and be proud of individual accomplishments. However, it is better when you can share the joy with others that were part of the struggle. We can do a lot to improve our lives, but the way to make the most impact is to find others to share your journey. A Team Victory Can Come At Any Time In sports a team is well-defined. There are players, coaches, managers, etc. that contribute in various ways. ...
Business Networking For Introverts
January 31, 2018 11:00 - 24 minutes - 33.5 MBA challenge for many IT workers is business networking. We chose out career often as a desire to avoid dealing with people more than we have to. We are often introverts and not very comfortable in a crowd. That makes it even harder for us to find our way to a useful discussion in a networking environment. Business Networking Is Critical The problem is, of course, that we have to network to build a customer list and become successful. The good news is that we do not have to suffer through ...
Problem-Solving With Friends and Associates (or Google)
January 29, 2018 11:00 - 23 minutes - 32 MBOne of the reasons for an enjoying an IT career is problem-solving. We get to face a challenge of varying levels every day. That can lead to us spending more time working on a problem than we need to. Thus, we need to keep in mind schedules and resources we have to meet our deadlines. Problem-Solving as a Team Sport There is a reason we find many developer offices set up in a way that lends itself to interaction. Yes, cubicles can be a cheap way to create an "office." However, they also ...
Continuing Education - Learning More Every Day
January 26, 2018 11:00 - 26 minutes - 36.6 MBWe live in the technology age. Also known as the information age. Thus, we have more and easier ways to educate ourselves each day. As Apple says, "there is an app for that." However, we need to be intentional in our approach to continuing education. Moderation is best and a roadmap will help us reach our goals. Continuing Education Via the Internet A core strength of the Internet is the delivery of news all the time. Not only that, the news can be on any topic you choose. Content is...