Entrepreneurs On Rails

Many of the people working with Rails are independent developers, doing freelance work or running small development shops. This makes sense – Rails provides a great framework for an indy developer, making it easy to work with with designers and other developers. But while there are many great resources available to them when it comes to writing great code, deploying, or scaling their projects, there is scant information on the logistics, legalities, tips, and tricks of actually running a successful small business.

Using real world examples and providing tangible answers, this talk will address many of the questions both new and seasoned independent developers, freelancers, and small business owners often ask: Can I stay a freelancer or do I need to incorporate, and if so, how? What are the liability risks of developing software for my customers? When do I need to do payroll and workman’s comp? When should I expand my business?

I’ll also talk about the ups-and-downs of being an independent developer, like working from home, the “feast or famine” phenomenon, and tips for working effectively from a home office. We will learn how to leverage the Rails framework and to collaborate effectively with and manage remote development and design teams. We’ll also talk about the pragmatic practices you can employ to manage your clients, set good expectations, and actually get paid.

This talk would not feature code, but rather real-world solutions, examples, information, and links to the resources the audience we discuss