If you have ever had a bright idea for a business but could not execute because you did not have the technical skills, here are three tips to help you work your way to becoming a tech entrepreneur.
1. Learn Coding For Free
Most tech work comes down to coding. Website design is built on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Software development is built on C, C++, C# and much more. If your business offers a technical solution to customers, it most likely involves some coding language. Knowing coding language will make your job as an entrepreneur much easier and save you some money. There are plenty of resources online for you to learn to code for free. Here is a short list of five resources:
- Code Academy – the leading resource for interactive courses on coding.
- Khan Academy – an online destination for courses and exercises on just about every subject imaginable.
- HTML5 Rocks – a website for developers to learn and practice using HTML5.
- CodeWars – an online platform for people to partake in coding coding challenges against other programmers.
- Coursera – a collection of university courses in academic subjects, including computer programming.
2. Outsource Technical Work
When the technical work needed for your business does not come naturally and you do not have the time or resources to learn it, outsourcing is the next best option. With outsourcing, you hire an expert to do the technical work for you on a one-off or long-term basis. Knowing when to outsource work is an important skill for entrepreneurs to have. As you grow your business, you may find that you can easily delegate administrative tasks to free up your time. By the same token, outsourcing work you are not knowledgeable about will also save you time. Some places to find experts capable of doing your outsourced work include Freelancer.com and Upwork.com.
3. Focus on Solving Problems
If you are a non-technical person getting caught up solely on the technical aspect of a business, you will run into a lot of obstacles. On the other hand, you will be much more productive if you focus on solving problems. This means that you must know the pains of your target customer. What process are you simplifying? What information are you teaching? What old-school solution are you improving upon? When you have a clearly defined problem and a definitive solution, the technical product or software is just a means an end. By using the two methods above (learning to code for free or outsourcing technical work), you can easily accomplish your goal. Entrepreneurs are problem-solvers at heart whether they are tech savvy or not.
If you are not so tech savvy, which one of these strategies would you use to start your own tech business? Let me know in the comments.