10 Years of Codeily LTD: A Decade of Growth and Learning

Ten years ago, I made a pivotal decision that changed my career trajectory—I incorporated my own company, Codeily LTD. This move allowed me to transition from a permanent role, where I often felt unfulfilled and bored after about a year, to becoming a contractor. Despite the bad press and disdain from my permanent colleagues, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Alongside choosing Scala as my main programming language, this choice has brought immense satisfaction and growth.

I benefited greatly from the contract market before Brexit, IR35, and Covid, reaching an all-time high rate of £800 per day (outside IR35) and on a promising path towards a four-digit daily rate. More importantly, this journey enabled me to explore a myriad of technologies, encounter diverse management styles, and build a vast network of passionate technologists like myself.

Many of the companies I’ve worked with suffer from similar problems, often centered around people rather than technology. Different agendas, styles, and understandings can complicate even the simplest projects. Through Codeily LTD, I’ve helped high-profile companies deliver their innovations, all while pursuing continuous learning. Switching jobs every 6-12 months keeps you interview-ready, forcing you to stay sharp and open-minded about various paradigms. This constant evolution led me to pursue an MBA and a third Master’s Degree in Applied Data Science. Mastering Functional Programming became a necessity as I realized, through numerous interviews, how much there was still to learn. This would have been impossible if I had climbed the career ladder in a single company.

Running my own company taught me to be my own accountant and understand financial statements, which sparked my interest in investing—specifically value investing—and deepened my understanding of how businesses and financial markets operate.

Interestingly, some companies claim to hire the best programmers but then reject candidates based on their CVs. I’ve experienced this rejection either because I’m a contractor seeking a permanent role—some companies believe once you’ve done contracting, that’s it—or because I lack recent fintech experience. Such narrow hiring criteria miss out on a wealth of opportunities and diverse skill sets. However, I see this as a positive filter. Companies with shallow hiring practices, often managed by people who don’t fully understand software development, likely wouldn’t provide an enjoyable working environment. Conversely, the companies that rejected me after interviews hold a special place in my heart as challenges I have yet to overcome.

I recommend everyone to experience being the Director of their own company. It opens your eyes to the world around you and can be a great antidote to burnout, as short contracts always bring something fresh. As I look forward to the next decade of Codeily LTD, I’m ready to pivot from consulting (selling my time) towards developing a product-based company.

Here’s to the next 10 years. See you in 2034!