Learning to code, as I did in three months before setting up CityFALCON, can be an extremely daunting prospect. But I fully believe that the effort that I have put into it has been entirely worthwhile, and that there have been several benefits from it that have been critical to the entrepreneurial journey on which I have been since.

Saving time and £££s

I have no doubt whatsoever that learning to code has saved me thousands of pounds within the business. It was hugely beneficial when building the initial product on which CityFALCON is based, particularly as it is so difficult to find developers with finance knowledge.

Product Development

Another massive advantage of learning to code is that it has made altering and pivoting the product extremely easy. This has been particularly useful as we have acquired feedback from clients.
Additionally, now that I have a pretty good grounding in coding, there is no need for a lengthy feedback loop when working with developers. I am familiar with a lot of concepts which are discussed, and am able to familiarise myself with new concepts related to coding much more easily than would otherwise be possible.

Business Development

This element has also fed into discussions with clients, where I have been able to fully comprehend technical implementations including timelines and costs. This is not only beneficial for me, it also lends credence to what we’re doing at CityFALCON, and enhances the perception of the business in the eyes of customers. I think it is reasonable to say that we often come across as extremely competent due to the coding knowledge that I have acquired.

Investment

Finally, there is no doubt that learning coding has also earned both me and the business credibility with investors. Having relevant skills is always valuable to investors.

In Summary

I remain completely convinced for these reasons, and others besides, that learning to code has been one of the wisest decisions that I have ever made. It has certainly made a massive contribution to CityFALCON, and it is definitely not a skill I would be without.

PS: Some useful places and resources to learn coding – Makers Academy (where I studied),  Code Academy