How do your family and parents react to your indie hacking?
Back story: I have been employed as an engineer and recently as an executive and my own projects were just side-projects.
After getting laid off recently due to the closure of the European office of the parent company, I decided not to look for a job but go full time indie since I see some traction on some of the apps I had published as side-projects.
My wife is fully supporting my decision because she sees how happy I am building up these products.
My parents are a different story. I had a call yesterday with my dad about his laptop not working anymore. He asked how well my products are doing and suggested that I really should get a job: "get a job for a few more years then you can go indie."
I'm 37 for pete's sake, this shouldn't affect me but I was quite down and full of self doubt today the whole day…
How do you handle such comments from your family and close friends?
My parents were both gone when I was very young. I lived with my maternal grandmother for a while and then she killed herself when I was four.
I have nobody telling me their thoughts about what I choose to do with my time in this world. It's motivational and freeing in a way but I still think you're fortunate to have a dad giving you advice, even if it's annoying!
Of course you're right! Thanks for putting this in perspective.
Wow, moving topic. "Going Indie" isn't necessarily the same from everyone. Ill tell you, side jobs help boost the family-kitchen-table talks.
Gosh, all families are tough, especially like you when you have a high degree, Masters, PhD and your "not putting it to use"... those conversations are really hard.
Your not alone on this one. (I Freelance on the side to make rent, and product launch when I have free time which is really challenging, freelancing is difficult when all i want to do is build my own products).
and yes the family has no-clue what I do. They just call me a web designer.