1 Month Into PioneerDevAI

One Month Update

It’s hard to believe it’s only been a month since I founded Pioneer Dev AI! It’s really been a fun ride so far and I think it’s only going to get better from here. I thought it might be interesting to share some reflections of our journey so far.

Overview

What is Pioneer Dev AI? We are a software agency specializing in building AI and SaaS web applications for clients worldwide. Our clientele spans diverse industries, including finance, HR, and home services. They rely on us to develop web apps featuring RAG-powered chatbots, fine-tuned LLMs, and traditional SaaS functionalities, all paired with beautiful UX designs.

Hiring Part-Time Talent: A Success Story

So far, I have had success hiring part time talent, specifically three engineers and a designer. This is working out well because my needs for design and engineering are very elastic and variable at the moment. If they were full time, I would be criminally underutilizing my resources.

Optimizing for Motivation and Learning

When hiring engineers, I’ve focused on those who are highly motivated, even if they lack extensive experience. I prioritized candidates with a track record of building software outside their full-time jobs—engineers who love coding for its own sake. With my background in engineering management, I can mentor and develop these engineers, which they greatly appreciate. Their motivation means they can often commit 20-30 hours a week on top of their full time job. When you find engineers who love their craft, it’s not hard to keep them motivated with interesting projects.

Reddit is a Surprising Place to Find Clients

Despite being an avid Reddit user, I was a bit skeptical that it would be a good place to find clients so pleasantly surprised by how well it has performed in that capacity. We’ve already secured two clients from Reddit and are working on a few more deals with minimal time investment. The trust and camaraderie among Reddit users seem to contribute to a high outbound reply rate of nearly 50%, much higher than most other channels.

Hiring from Other Agencies: A Cautionary Tale

One early mistake was hiring a front-end engineer from another agency. I assumed that an agency-vetted engineer would perform at a high level, but this was not the case. Communication issues arose from day one, with the agency’s CEO acting as a go-between. The engineer didn’t ask questions, failed to notify me when code was complete, and even committed incomplete code to the main branch of a live site. In contrast, a part-time engineer I later hired with little professional experience outperformed this agency hire.

Upwork isn’t a great to find Clients as an Agency

Initially, Upwork seemed like a good platform to find clients, with numerous relevant projects posted daily. However, as my business matures, I am realizing it’s not the best fit. The platform is saturated with freelancers competing on cost, and clients often have unrealistic expectations for their budgets. Additionally, clients prefer individual freelancers with hourly rates over teams on fixed milestone budgets.

The Challenges of Bookkeeping

The time I spend on bookkeeping far exceeds my initial expectations. Tracking contractor costs, software expenses, and income consumes takes a lot more time than I expected. While I know I’ll eventually need to hire a part-time bookkeeper, I have some reservations about granting someone access to my accounts.