Review of the Inflearn Side Project Meetup
These days, I am developing several side projects after leaving my job. Curious about how others are doing, I attended a side project meetup held on Inflearn. Many designers, PMs, and developers who wanted to know about side projects participated in this gathering.
People attending for various reasons
For me, the purpose of side projects is to make money. What about others? I asked around out of curiosity. Some were looking for projects to create a portfolio for employment, while others were looking for projects for enjoyment. There were also those who wanted to do side projects but were at a loss on how to start, so they attended to seek help from others.
## Presentations on side project experiences
The first presentation was by Jae-young, who formed a team to create an app that can manage recipes for a friend who bakes. It was nice to see that he still updates the app consistently, showing his passion for his product.
The second presentation was about the service This Meme by Jeong-min and his team, who love memes. Since side projects have different goals for each team member and no obligation, they talked about how to unite them and keep moving forward. The person in front seemed impressed by the presentation and the way the team was led.
## My thoughts while listening to the presentations
It seemed that there were fundamental limitations. Developing a product requires constant maintenance even after completion. However, without generating revenue and no obligation, continuous maintenance is impossible. If a developer who was active in the team is gone, it may lead to problems that cannot be solved.
Most development products incur server costs by default. When the financial situation is okay, it is not a problem, but when things get a little tough, even this small cost can make you wonder, 'Should I shut down the service?'
However, aiming for enjoyment may lead to the creation of more diverse products. Gathering like-minded people to create a service that does not exist in the world has its own charm, making it exciting.
Great conversations with people
The energy that each person had at the gathering, where people wanted to create services, was really good. Some were raising their hands to find team members, while others were exploring interesting projects. Most of the projects we create at work are similar and must be done even if we are not in the mood, making us tired. However, side projects are created only when we have the heart, so everyone's smiling faces remain memorable.
I was curious about how to distribute profits if they were generated and was pleased to receive a good answer. The answer that suited my situation of creating multiple small projects was agreement on distribution after achieving the target figure. Most projects find it difficult to generate enough revenue. So, it was suggested to set a certain figure at the beginning and decide how to divide the net profit once that goal is reached. Thanks to this answer, I felt good that I could start collaborating with others without hesitation or worry.
Finding team members
The most worrying thing for people who want to do side projects is how to find team members. You can find people to work on team projects on the Inflearn website. I think it would be helpful for everyone who falls under the following categories. I hope that through side projects that they have never tried before, everyone can steadily move up one step in their careers.
- People who need a portfolio to put on their resume
- People looking for side projects for enjoyment
- People looking for challenges for growth
