8 Reasons why Entrepreneurs and Business Owners Should Learn to Code!

Why Entrepreneurs Should Learn How to Code

Coding has become an essential skill for anyone who wants to succeed in business. This is especially true for entrepreneurs, who often need to wear multiple hats and have an understanding of how technology works.

1. Understand the Technical Side of Your Business

Even if you don't plan on becoming a full-fledged developer, learning the basics of coding will give you a better understanding of the technical side of your business.

This will allow you to make more informed decisions about your website, software, and other tech-related needs.

2. Build Prototypes, Fix Issues, and Test Ideas Quickly

With a basic understanding of coding, you can quickly build prototypes of your products or services and test them out with potential customers. This will save you time and money in the long run, as you'll be able to identify and fix problems early on.

We also can't overstate the advantages of being able to quickly troubleshoot customer issues when they arise.

3. Save Money on Outsourced Development

If you have a basic understanding of coding, you can save money on outsourced development by doing some or most of the work yourself.

Whilst you're likely to employ developers further down the line, this is especially important for startups or small businesses that are on a tight budget in the early stages of their journey.

4. Better Communicate with Developers

If you do outsource development, or bring developers in-house, learning to code will allow you to better communicate with your developers.

This will help you get the most out of your team and avoid misunderstandings as you have a common language, communicate the architecture of their projects, and understand how your product actually works.

If you're building a SaaS product, or app for web or mobile, knowing how to code is pretty much essential.

5. Enhance Your Creative Problem-Solving Skills

By approaching non-technical problems with a developer's mindset, you can more efficiently solve the issues and hurdles that every business owner faces.

Coding is a creative problem-solving skill that can be applied to many areas of your business. It will teach you how to think logically and break down complex problems into smaller, manageable steps.

We have also found that when delegating tasks to your staff you are far more likely to get good results when you lay out manageable steps like you might as a developer.

6. Make Better Decisions and Reduce Reliance on Others

Coding will give you the confidence to make better decisions about your technology needs without having to rely on others.

This will give you more control over your business and help you avoid costly mistakes.

7. Stay Ahead of the Competition

Technology is constantly evolving, and entrepreneurs who can keep up with the latest trends will be at a competitive advantage.

Learning to code will help you stay ahead of the curve and adapt to new technologies as they emerge. Additionally you'll have a much better idea of the true cost of implementation.

8. Reduce reliance on expensive 3rd party tools

Many business owners rely on 3rd party tools to bring their products to market quicker. Including us here at Flatpack, However, writing just a few lines of code can reduce your reliance on these tools and save you money.

Here's a real world example. We used to use Zapier to transfer customer data between our CRM and email tool, however this has been replaced with a few lines of python code saving us £716 or $882 every year.

How to Get Started with Coding

There are many resources available for learning how to code. You can find online tutorials, coding bootcamps, and even university courses. Read about the pros and cons of each option here. There are also many programming languages to choose from, so you can find one that suits your interests and needs.

Here at Flatpack, we offer two routes of after course career support. We offer our Day 1-to-1 career coaching, for those that want to get a job in tech, as well as startup support to ensure you are set up for success. As part of startup support we provide you with resources, coaching, advice, and support to set you on the right track for building your startup.

Even if you don't become a professional developer, learning how to code will be a valuable asset for your entrepreneurial journey. It will give you the skills and knowledge you need to succeed as a tech entrepreneur.