If you were to ask Andrew Hollamon, he’d tell you he’s not really an entrepreneur. He’s just a guy who’s good at his craft and found a way to do it on his own.
But Andrew, a developer who specializes in enterprise integration for higher education institutions, also rolled the dice on self-employment and came out on top.
We sat down with him to learn more about his job, his journey, and the advice he’d offer to up-and-coming “non-entrepreneurs.”
Can You Tell Us a Bit About What You Do?
I’m a developer: essentially, I write code for a living.
For about the last ten years, most of what I do has been in enterprise integration for higher education institutions and ERP implementation. This includes customizing enterprise financial or HR systems into large universities.
It’s really interesting work because state universities are often like Fortune 500 companies in their size and complexity.
How Did You End Up in This Line of Work?
It was mostly just luck that I found my niche.
I went to school at the University of Arizona and fell in love with programming.
As it turned out, I’d go on to spend about ten years working for the U of AZ as a programmer. And for a good chunk of that, I helped develop an open-source financial product for other universities to use.
Eventually, though, I ended up leaving my staff job to start a business with a friend developing technology in the auto sales industry.
We were in a really good situation for a long time. There were only two products to compete against, so we had a good position in the industry.
But then the 2008 crash happened and everyone stopped buying cars. Essentially, all of our customers went out of business and didn’t have capital to ride out the recession.
So, we pivoted and started building custom software for everyone from small businesses to big businesses.
But it was just a brutal business in which to keep the pipeline full and the business started to fall apart.
Eventually, I pivoted back to consulting and it ended up being in the field of open-source accounting and EPR systems for higher education institutions.
What Are The Most Rewarding Parts of Your Business?
Well, first and foremost, my life is much simpler as a business of one.
And beyond that, it’s just a fantastic field to be in. I get to exercise lots of creativity in how to solve problems. I get a ton of autonomy. It really has a lot to offer. I’ve just been fortunate to be an independent and a consultant for so long.
And I also have the ability to pivot and change if ever I want to. It’s such a huge space, there are a million sub-specialties you can choose from in this field.
That’s why I always advise people to go into it if they’re even slightly interested in it at all.
What Lessons Would You Share with Other “Non-Entrepreneurs?”
Like any self-employed person, owning your own business and doing it independently is a mixed bag.
It’s so good in some ways: I get lots of control over my time, my rates are good enough to be able to take vacations, I have a ton of freedom.
And on the other hand, there are challenges. Sometimes you get sick of paying for your own healthcare, office space, retirement, and all those things.
But here are the biggest lessons and pieces of advice I’d share…
Don’t Be Scared to Take a Chance
I’m not the entrepreneurial type but that being said, I absolutely cherish that I took that leap.
When I left my staff job, it was literally the scariest thing I’ve ever done in my life. When I did the whole “I’m quitting” speech, I was shaking. It was scary to me.
And there were some tough times. When we were trying to build that business and generate enough revenue to survive, there was a year or two where I barely slept. It was hard.
But I would encourage you to take that leap and try something if you think you have an opportunity. Even if there’s a chance it’s going to fail, try it anyway, because it’s life-changing.
Don’t Overlook Your Work-Life Balance
I would also advise everyone to take care of their work-life balance.
That stuff is harder to do the older you get. It’s a trade off. My attitude at this point in my life is to focus a lot more on the life side of that balance rather than trying to make a lot of money. I know for a lot of people, that’s a big part of their life. But for many of us, we just want to be comfortable, have a little luxury, and enjoy life. And that’s OK too.
The big thing is to watch your health and community. In my opinion, your wellbeing and the people in your life are more important than a lot of money.
But whatever it is for you, focus more on what’s important to you as a human being.
Get Your Name Out There
I think it’s also really smart to find a way to get your name out there more.
Even blogging, creating videos, engaging with people in your profession and industry. These things, even when done at a small scale over a few years, can really create a community for you to make a living out of.
And ultimately, just focus on trying to be really good at what you do.
How Did You Come to Work at The Post?
I’ve been doing coworking for 7 or 8 years and it’s been huge for me. I work mostly for out-of-state clients and for a lot of my career, I wasn’t living with someone. Being by yourself all week long can be brutal and lonely.
I’ve found that if you don’t have that workspace community to engage in social activity, you lose a lot. I’ve made lifelong friends from coworking spaces
I joined The Post when I moved to Oro Valley from central Tucson. I tried to save some money and work from home but after a month I just couldn’t do it.
This place is pretty amazing. I’ve been to a lot of places, from small space to WeWork, and the leadership at The Post is amazing. They really do a fantastic job and take excruciatingly good detailed care of the place.
I’m super happy here. I’ve already made new friends, and it’s only been a few months.
Looking for a Professional Community in the Tucson and Oro Valley area?
If you’d like to learn more about our professional community here at The Post, get in touch with us today. Our team is available to speak with you.