I’m reminded of an old saying: "When long tails became fashionable in the forest, all the hedgehogs perished." The same is true in business: IT became fashionable, and everyone rushed to learn programming as if it were the dawn of the computer age, not 2024. It's a bit odd to imagine if everyone suddenly decided to become proctologists, and clinics started popping up everywhere—quantity doesn’t always translate to quality.

Programming is, my friends, a serious profession that requires not only logical thinking but also a good level of mathematical preparation. Coding without math is like trying to dance ballet without legs: you have the desire, but you lack the means.

If you think that learning programming will make you more successful in business, I’m sorry to disappoint you. Programming isn’t just “syntax and operators.” It’s an entire field with numerous specializations. For instance, do you want to become a web developer? Great! But for that, you’ll need to master HTML, CSS, JavaScript, several frameworks, databases, and a bunch of other stuff. And that’s just to make the simplest website.

And if you fancy being a Python developer, be prepared to dive into the world of statistics, data analysis, and artificial intelligence. Don’t forget that learning will take more than just a few evenings after work; it will require several years of intense effort. Still interested? Go ahead! Just remember: this is a path to a career change, not just a skill to enhance your business.

If you’re still considering programming, let’s look at the numbers. Who are these mysterious programmers, and how much do they earn?

• Front-end Developer (the one who makes beautiful interfaces) in the U.S. earns an average of $90,000 per year; in Russia, about $30,000.
• Back-end Developer (the one who does all the behind-the-scenes work) can expect $100,000 in the U.S. and $35,000 in Russia.
• Mobile App Developer — $105,000 in the U.S. and $25,000 in Russia.
• Data Engineer — $110,000 in the U.S. and $40,000 in Russia.

And these aren’t even the upper limits; these are average figures. Learning to become one of these specialists from scratch can take one to three years, depending on your abilities and dedication. So think carefully: do you really need it?

Now, suppose you’ve decided not to become a programmer but still want to establish an IT department in your company. Sounds good, right? Your own team of programmers, everything under control, products being created, costs being reduced... Stop, stop, stop! This, my friends, is a Joker’s trap.

Creating an IT department is not only expensive but also risky. Let’s look at the reality:

• Small Company (up to 50 employees). The average IT department consists of 1-2 people, and IT expenses make up to 5% of the overall budget.
• Medium Company (50-250 employees). IT department — 5-10 people, expenses — 7-10% of the budget.
• Large Company (more than 250 employees). The IT department may consist of dozens, if not hundreds, of specialists, and expenses can reach 15-20%.

And that’s just to maintain the current state of affairs! If you want to create your own product, prepare for months or even years of development, tens of thousands of dollars (at the very least), and possibly enormous stress.

An IT department is no guarantee of success. Creating a software product is a Herculean task. Even developing a simple business application can take months of work and enormous resources. The average development time for a simple product is 3-6 months, and for a complex one, a year or more. And even if you assemble a team, there’s a high likelihood that your programmers will prefer to move to large IT companies, where they can engage in their favorite work and earn much more.

Why does this happen? Because programmers want to work in environments where they can learn and grow. Most prefer companies where they can develop professionally rather than engage in routine work in the commercial sector. That’s why outsourcing is the best option. Specialized companies will provide you with high-quality and fast development.

1. Learn technology but don’t rush into programming. Understand new technologies and learn to use modern tools like ChatGPT and other services. Want to try programming? Learn to write proper queries to AI, and it will write the code for you.
2. Don’t create an IT department unless it’s critically important. In most cases, outsourcing is the best option. You won’t be able to compete in quality and price with professional outsourcing companies, and creating your own IT department will only increase costs.

And if you do decide to trust the professionals, I can recommend an excellent company—Fayrix. I recently worked with them and was pleased: fast, high-quality, and reasonably priced.
So think carefully, draw your conclusions, and make decisions wisely!
Good luck in business and life!