A number of years ago, I launched a startup with a friend which lasted about a year after which I took an investment job. Before leaving to launch the startup, I worked evenings and weekends to learn Javascript, React, HTML/CSS, Git, and NodeJS. I solo developed an advanced MVP which was almost fully functional. I created a white-label frontend in in Javascript, Bootstrap, and React and deployed it to an S3 bucket with AWS CDN in front of it. The backend used NodeJS, Express, GraphQL/Prisma/MySQL, and Up to deploy the server to AWS lambda (it was a monolith and not microservices…think of it as being similar to Google App Engine). In the end, I did regret using GraphQL which was newer tech and would have preferred to have used REST API since it created data sync problems on the frontend. I did also use Mailgun with email templates and wrote my own auth because I tried Auth0 but needed finer security controls since the product had complex data access controls. Here I am basically trying to demonstrate that I have decent full-stack software experience.
Since then I have learnt Go and created a server with PostgreSQL and frontend with Vue.JS. I have also done a bunch of easy to medium/hard exercises with Go on HackerRank. I enjoy the immersive, problem solving aspect of programming that makes time fly.
As I see it, my two best options are to either find a remote investment role with less travel (which could be hard/impossible) or a remote software role for less money. I am guessing that I could start at an entry level role and work my way up to 100k p.a. or close in 3-5 years. I am smart and capable with good business sense and reasonable emotional intelligence. This gives me more confidence in being able to succeed in software where work for the next 5 years and then move to part-time or infrequent contract work. The alternative is that I could stay in investments and keep traveling….then FIRE in 3-4 years time. I am not sure I could stomach that since I want to prioritize family and friends. I want to be able to go my death bed having a lived a full life with wonderful, loving relationships.
Any thoughts on my situation? Is there anything I am missing? For those of you in software, would you consider hiring someone like me? Is there something I am missing? Should I try and go for something better than an entry level role?