Why I Left My Job to Start a One-Person Development Agency

I still remember the day I received my business registration in 2021. It was the moment I, a university student, became the "CEO of a one-person development agency." Four years have passed since then. Looking back now, that decision completely changed my life.

Starting as a Student Freelancer

I first encountered programming in university. While taking major courses, I thought "This is actually fun," and started self-studying web development. Then I got an opportunity to work as a freelancer at an outsourcing company.

Honestly, money was the initial motivation. For a university student, development work paid pretty well. But what I felt while working was something different. The sensation that something I made is actually being used by someone. It was a completely different level of responsibility and achievement compared to assignments or toy projects.

Working at that outsourcing company for several months, I learned practical skills. How to communicate with clients, manage schedules, and handle changing requirements. Things you could never learn in school.

Why I Chose to Start My Own Business

While working at the outsourcing company, a question arose. "Why does there need to be a company in the middle?" There was quite a gap between what clients paid and what I received. Of course, the company did sales and management, so it made sense.

But I thought: What if I do the sales, development, and management myself? Wouldn't that difference become my share?

It was a naive thought, of course. Doing it myself, I realized how much work the company had been doing. But back then, I had the boldness of "let's just try it." As a student, I didn't have much to lose anyway.

The Birth of Dante Company

In 2021, I registered my business and named it "Dante Company." There's no grand reason behind it. It was just a name I liked. I built a simple portfolio site and told my acquaintances "I'm taking freelance work now."

My first project came through a referral from someone I met at the previous outsourcing company. It was a small landing page job. The amount wasn't large, but I was excited that it was the first project under my own name.

But reality was different. At the company, someone organized requirements and someone else communicated with clients. Now I had to do everything alone. I spent more time on non-development tasks than actual coding.

Four Years Later

From 2021 until now, I've done so many projects. Some successful, some not. Some where I maintained good relationships with clients, others where we only left each other with wounds.

What I've learned over four years comes down to this: Development skills alone aren't enough. Sales, communication, project management, estimating, even accounting. A one-person agency CEO has to do everything.

There were many hard times. Especially early on, I took projects that paid less than minimum wage per hour because I quoted too low. I've been stressed from conflicts with clients many times.

Still, I don't regret it. The freedom to work on projects I choose, in my own way, without taking orders from anyone. And a structure where the results come entirely back to me. That's the appeal of a one-person agency.

Why I'm Starting This Blog

I wanted to organize the experiences and know-how accumulated over four years. I hope it helps people considering starting a one-person agency like me, or those living as freelance developers.

I plan to share practical topics like estimating, client communication, and contract writing. There are no perfect answers, but at least I can share the trials and errors I've experienced.

If you have questions, feel free to reach out. I'd love to learn together through conversation.