Michael Volo – Developer’s Guide to Becoming an Entrepreneur

1. Michael Volo – Developer’s Guide to Becoming an Entrepreneur Many developers dream of creating something of their own—whether it’s a game-changing app, a revolutionary platform, or a tech startup that scales. But making the leap from writing code to building a business? That’s a whole different game. Michael Volo knows this journey firsthand. Once a full-time developer immersed in code, he is now a tech entrepreneur running a growing startup. His path wasn’t without detours, doubts, or long nights—but it’s one filled with valuable insights. Here’s his guide for developers ready to turn their skills into startups. 1. Start by Solving a Problem You Know

2. Michael didn’t start with a flashy business plan or massive funding. He started by noticing a real-world problem developers faced—one he experienced daily. He built a tool to fix it. Then another. Before long, what started as a side project became a viable product. “The best startups are born from problems you’re intimately familiar with,” Michael says. “You’re already halfway there when you’re building for yourself.” 2. Use Your Developer Mindset

3. What sets developers apart in entrepreneurship is their ability to break big problems into small, solvable pieces. That same mindset that helps you debug an app or optimize a database can help you design a lean MVP, iterate based on feedback, and ship fast. Michael didn’t have a background in business. But he treated entrepreneurship like software—something you can learn, test, and continuously improve. 3. Build Before You Leap Quitting your job and diving into entrepreneurship blind is risky. Michael’s advice? Don’t jump—build a runway.

4. He kept his full-time job while working nights and weekends on his product. He built a working prototype, got early feedback, and validated the idea before taking the leap. That early momentum gave him the confidence—and data—he needed to go all-in. 4. Learn Business Like You Learned Code Yes, business has its own set of challenges—marketing, fundraising, customer support, hiring. It’s overwhelming at first. But Michael approached it like learning a new framework: start with the basics, copy from people who know more, and practice until it clicks. He recommends books, podcasts, YouTube channels, and—most importantly—talking to other founders. “Developers tend to think they have to figure it all out alone. But business is a team sport.” 5. Launch Fast, Learn Faster Perfectionism is a developer’s strength—and their weakness. Michael had to fight the instinct to polish endlessly. Instead, he shipped early and used real-world feedback to refine the product.

5. What mattered most wasn’t clean code—it was whether people would use (and pay for) what he built. 6. Find Your Founder Community Being a solo dev is one thing. Being a solo founder is another. Michael leaned heavily on online communities, local meetups, and even Twitter/X to connect with other builders and entrepreneurs. These connections became his support system, sounding board, and sometimes even collaborators. Final Thoughts: Your Way Up Michael Volo’s story proves that developers have everything they need to become great entrepreneurs—they just need to start. Whether you’re freelancing, working at a startup, or buried in enterprise code, your path to entrepreneurship can begin today.