Here’s something that still feels weird to admit out loud:
I regularly get paid way more than developers who are objectively better coders than me.
Cleaner syntax? They’ve got it.
Better algorithmic thinking? Definitely.
Know the hottest new framework before it’s cool? Yep, that too.
But here I am—sometimes charging 5x or even 10x more than some of these incredibly talented folks.
And no, I’m not some genius consultant. I don’t have an Ivy League CS degree. I’m not even the most technical person in the room most of the time.
So… why do clients keep hiring me?
It’s Not About the Code
The truth is, what I bring to the table isn’t just about how well I write code.
It’s about this one skill I stumbled into, almost by accident:
I know how to talk to people who don’t speak tech.
I’ve learned how to take a messy, unclear business idea and turn it into something structured, realistic, and buildable. Not just "this is how we build it," but "is this even worth building?"
I help non-technical founders figure out what they actually need.
And then I give them just that—no fluff, no overengineering, no drama.
It sounds simple, but it’s not very common.
And it’s why I keep getting hired.
How I Found This Out (The Hard Way)
I used to approach every client problem like a code challenge: just give me the specs and I’ll build it.
But the specs were often terrible. Half the time, the client didn’t know what they really wanted. I’d spend hours building something that looked great—but didn’t actually solve anything.
So I started doing something radical: I talked. I asked questions. I pushed back when something didn’t make sense.
That changed everything.
Suddenly, I wasn’t just “the dev” anymore. I was the person helping them make smarter decisions before we wrote a single line of code. And guess what? That made me more valuable—even when someone else could have built the same thing faster or fancier.
Real Example: The $12K CRM That Never Needed to Exist
A startup once asked me to build them a custom CRM from scratch. Most developers would’ve just started coding.
Instead, I asked:
“What’s wrong with your current setup?”
“What data are you actually using?”
“What’s this really supposed to fix?”
After about 30 minutes of digging, it turned out they already had most of what they needed. They just weren’t using it right.
I set up a few smart automations in Airtable and Slack, trained their team, and solved the whole thing in under 3 days.
They were thrilled. I got paid well. And I didn’t have to build an entire app that nobody really needed.
That’s when it clicked: I’m not just solving problems. I’m making sure we solve the right ones.
Why This Skill Matters (More Than Ever)
The reality is, there are tons of great developers out there. You’re probably one of them. But if you want to stand out, especially in freelance or client work, writing beautiful code isn’t enough.
Clients don’t pay top dollar for perfect React components.
They pay for outcomes: more users, less friction, fewer headaches.
That’s why being able to bridge the gap between “here’s what I want” and “here’s what actually helps” is so powerful.
It’s not that technical skill doesn’t matter—it does. But being able to translate real-world problems into just enough tech to solve them? That’s rare. And that’s what clients will pay for again and again.
You Don’t Have to Be a Rockstar Coder
If you ever feel like you’re not the “best” developer on your team or in your friend group—don’t sweat it.
You don’t need to be the smartest person in the room.
You just need to understand what people actually want, and how to get them there.
And if you can do that while writing solid, maintainable code?
You’re already more valuable than you think.
Final Thoughts
The most valuable devs I know aren’t always the most technical.
They’re the ones who listen, who ask good questions, and who make sure the code they write actually matters.
That’s the skill that’s made all the difference in my career.
And here’s the best part: anyone can learn it.
You don’t need to be the fastest coder.
You just need to care enough to connect the dots between people and products.
That’s what makes you irreplaceable.
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