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✨ Everything is a learning opportunity ✨

When I stepped back from Ministry of Testing, I was looking for something new, I was looking to learn and I felt like I had gotten out of touch with the bootstrapping / tech / indie world.

When I had the opportunity to help lead the Indie Hackers community I jumped at it, even if it was going back to exchanging my time for money and even if it was below my 'experience level'.

(I had just come off the back of founding and leading a profitable business of 10 employees).

I did it to learn. I wanted to learn how other communities (specifically IH) were run. I wanted to learn the latest of what everyone was doing and talking about in the world of business and tech.

What better way than to get paid to spend time to hang here and learn every day from everyone else?

I learned so much, from posts, Twitter, podcast episodes, and from conversations. And the experience elevated me in so many other ways that just wouldn't have otherwise been possible.

Based on that, I encourage y'all to do things that don't necessarily look like indie hacking, or may not be the start of your own project or business.

Do things that will help you learn, improve and progress.

So, don't start:

  • a blog, guest post instead.
  • a podcast, get invited to speak.
  • a community, participate in one.
  • a business, go work at one.

Learn from how others do it, then create your own when or if the time is right.

✌️ The tweet that inspired this post

  1. 10

    Rosie, your humility and curiosity inspire me every day. Thank you for this! 👏

  2. 2

    I obviously don't disagree with what you posted, but from my humble experience of posting here on IH and Reddit I would rather change your formula to:

    Start a blog.... but also find opportunities to guest post.
    Start a podcast....but also get invited to speak.
    Start a community/audience but also be an active participant in one.
    Start a side-business but don't quit your other job just yet

    1. 8

      Sure, there are million ways to do anything and everything in life, but that deviates from the different perspective that I'm trying to give people.

      There's so much pressure to start and own something — and to be a 'proper indie hacker'. It doesn't have to be the way, especially at the beginning. I especially feel this as I'm currently a full time employee (in addition to owning a business and having a sidegig), all the hustle talk about indie hacking isn't necessarily healthy for those that are in between, or those that want the best of both worlds.

      Much of indie hacking is about self discovery, we think we're going to like doing something, but then we realise that whilst we're stuck in that we don't actually want to do it.

      I'm not advocating against 'starting' anything — I have a blog, a community and a side-gig since restarting afresh, but it came in stages as mentioned above.

      1. 6

        I really like this perspective Rosie. Many times it is 'enough' to keep an eye on the things you are interested in. It is enough to notice and learn what's been working for others and what has not and what resonates with you specifically.

        Especially important for those of us juggling full loads but even if that wasn't true, even in the hustle culture, there are only so many balls one can juggle as a founder. If you are already coding, writing a blog, posting #BuildInPublic updates, doing user interviews etc.. it should be fine to let some other things take a backseat for now and focus on them later!

          1. 1

            <s>yes you are right!! <<s>s>right! ${{4*4}} am I wrong ? ? ?

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