If you feel stuck in your tech career, your peers won't be the ones who help you rise above it.

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When I launched my first YouTube channel 8 years ago, I was called a sellout, a fake developer, and a grifter. And that was after I gave away hundreds of hours of content and coached over 300 developers for free. In their eyes, anything other than writing code made me a traitor to the craft.

Look, I've worked in software for 30 years. And I love the craft, too. But when I wanted more, I was confronted with a harsh truth: the developer community doesn't reward freedom. It rewards conformity. And just like the mafia, if you try to leave, they'll try to pull you back in.

And here's what makes this so sneaky: it doesn't always show up as direct attacks. Sometimes it's "jokes." Sometimes it's subtle shaming. Sometimes it's the unspoken rule that the only respectable path is: keep coding, keep climbing, keep collecting credibility—forever. If you step outside that script to learn sales, marketing, positioning, or consulting… you're "not a real dev."

(00:00:00) Welcome To Developer Reborn
(00:00:34) Developer Misery Loves Company
(00:02:00) Drama Queens of Tech
(00:03:51) The Rotten Carrot
(00:05:27) Unqualified Guides
(00:06:53) The "Lazy Developer" Trope
(00:08:36) The Certified Dabbler

Want to Build Your Consulting Offer?

Join me and other software professionals inside the 4-day Consulting Offer Workshop where you'll map your experience to business value, create a premium offer (at least $300/hr effective rate), and practice pitching it in a supportive group. Sign up at the link above.

Why solo consultants and independent developers should be the face of their business—especially if you want to charge premium rates without feeling salesy.

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If you're a solo developer trying to land premium software consulting clients, it's tempting to hide behind a clever company name so you look "more legit." I used to think that too.

But over the years I learned the opposite is true: putting your name at the front of your business can reduce risk for the buyer and make it easier for them to say yes.

(00:00:00) Welcome To Developer Reborn
(00:00:34) Don't Create a Company!
(00:01:57) Clients Are NOT Companies
(00:03:19) 1. You Make Buying Easier
(00:04:23) 2. You Own The Results
(00:05:28) 3. No Headcount Pressure
(00:06:30) 4. Clients Know Who They're Getting
(00:07:47) 5. Pivot Without a Rebrand

Want to Build Your Consulting Offer?

Join me and other software professionals inside the 4-day Consulting Offer Workshop where you'll map your experience to business value, create a premium offer (at least $300/hr effective rate), and practice pitching it in a supportive group. Sign up at the link above.

How top developers break through salary caps using value-based pricing as a premium consultant.

Click Here To Learn About The Consulting Offer Workshop

Ever feel like companies care more about how fast you work than how good your work actually is

You're not imagining it—and the real problem goes much deeper than deadlines or burnout.

If everything you do in tech is measured in hours, there's a hard ceiling on how much you can earn. In this episode,

I'll show you why that ceiling exists, and how top developers break past it without tracking hours. You'll learn how experienced consultants think about value, why businesses don't buy "effort," and how companies actually realize money from growth and cost savings.

This isn't about tricks, confidence hacks, or negotiating harder. It's about understanding how companies measure value—and positioning your work so you're paid accordingly.

(00:00:00) Welcome To Developer Reborn
(00:00:34) Work Tied To Hours Hits A Ceiling
(00:01:45) Companies View Consultants Differently
(00:03:00) How Companies Realize The Value Of Offers
(00:04:56) Getting Paid To Help Companies Grow
(00:05:47) Getting Paid For One-Time Revenue Growth
(00:07:27) Getting Paid To Grow Recurring Revenue
(00:09:09) Getting Paid To Reduce Costs
(00:09:59) Getting Paid To Reduce Recurring Costs
(00:11:23) How Value-Based Pricing Earns $300/hr

Want to Build Your Consulting Offer?

Join me and other software professionals inside the 4-day Consulting Offer Workshop where you'll map your experience to business value, create a premium offer (at least $300/hr effective rate), and practice pitching it in a supportive group. Sign up at the link above.