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Things people have asked

Real questions from people building software. Real answers. No fluff.

All Building Getting Started Growth Launching Philosophy Pricing Process Quality Strategy Working Together

November 19, 2025 4 min read

Question from Anonymous

"How much should I budget for a first version of my app?"

Pricing Getting Started

A better question is: "What is the least I need to do or spend to know if my idea will work?" Budgets are hard to talk about because ideas vary so much, but the math itself isn't complicated. I charge $150 an hour. That covers: Coding Planning Talking through decisions Thinking Fixing The...

Sarah K. • Nov 19

"Why do quotes from different developers vary so much?"

Pricing Working Together

Fixed price vs retainer: how do we decide what's right?

Fixed price works when there are unknowns and we need to control risk. Retainers work when the work is ongoing and predictable. The Worst Scenario The worst situation is both sides committing to unkno...

Pricing

Mike L. • Nov 19, 2025

3 min read

November 19, 2025 3 min read

Question from Anonymous

"Can we start small without painting ourselves into a corner?"

Yes. That is exactly how you should start. Have a direction, but take small steps. Figure out the important parts first. There is no formula that guarantees success, so your job is to avoid wasting time, money, and energy. The Safest Way to Build The...

Strategy

November 19, 2025 5 min read

Question from Jessica T.

"What does the process look like from idea to live product?"

Process Strategy

There are a lot of checkpoints between "I have an idea" and "people are actually using this." Step 1: Understanding The first thing we're going to do is sit down and talk about your idea. I need to understand: What you want to accomplish Who your users are What market you're aim...

David M. • Nov 19

"How do we handle changes and new ideas once we've already started?"

Process Strategy

How involved do I need to be if you're writing all the code?

There is no version of your idea without you. My job is to translate your idea into something real. I can help you shape it, see it clearly, and make product decisions around it. But I cannot live you...

Working Together

Anonymous • Nov 19, 2025

4 min read

November 19, 2025 4 min read

Question from Rachel P.

"Do we need sprints, standups, and project management tools to work together?"

No. I actually wrote a whole book called The Project Management Manifesto because I think a lot of people are using process where they don't need process. They're adding ceremony when what they really need is clarity. How We'll Work We'll keep our wo...

Process

November 19, 2025 4 min read

Question from Anonymous

"What if we build the wrong thing? Is that just wasting money?"

Strategy

Small commitments are exactly about avoiding that kind of waste. You are going to build the wrong thing at first. Until you actually put it in front of a real user and get feedback, everything is a guess. There's nothing wrong with accepting that this is the risk you're taking. What to Avoid What yo...

Tom R. • Nov 19

"Do I really need to validate an idea before building anything?"

Strategy Getting Started