Alex BarasaBusiness

Thinking of switching into tech, where would you start?

Hey everyone, I’m Alex. I finished campus last year and have been doing small delivery hustles to get by. I have this app idea for helping people in my estate order stuff from local shops, but I honestly don’t know how to build it. I can’t code at all, not even a single line. I want to switch into tech but I feel like I’m starting from zero. Would you recommend learning to code first, or maybe using no-code tools to build a simple version? I’ve heard of things like Bubble and Thunkable but not sure if they’re good for a complete beginner. Anyone here made a similar jump from a non-tech job? What helped you the most? One thing I’ve learned from my delivery hustle is that you don’t need everything perfect before you start - just get the first order right. Maybe that applies to learning tech too? Keen to hear your thoughts.

Replies

Kevin Mwangi3d

Hey Alex, welcome. That delivery hustle lesson is spot on - same applies to tech. I'd say go with no-code first (Bubble works fine for a prototype) just to get something in front of people in your estate. You can learn the basics of coding slowly on the side if you want, but the fastest way to test your idea is to use tools that don't need code. Plenty of folks around here started exactly like that. What part of the app feels hardest to figure out right now?

Grace Wambui3d

Totally agree with the advice above - start with no-code so you can put something simple in front of your estate people and get real feedback. Your delivery hustle already taught you what they need, so you're not really starting from zero, you're just learning the tool. What's the one shop or item you'd want to test this with first?

Samuel Kiptoo3d

Hey Alex, your delivery hustle lesson is exactly right. I grew up on a farm and only started learning code when I realised the tools I needed didn't exist. No-code is a great place to start because you can get a simple version in front of your estate folks fast. What's the one thing the shop owners keep complaining about?

Lydia Achieng3d

Hey Alex, nakupenda the way you think - that delivery hustle mindset is pure gold for tech too. Start with Bubble like the person above said, your estate idea is perfect for no-code because you're solving a real problem you already understand. No need to learn coding first, just build a small version for your neighbors and see who says "ah, I'd actually use that" - that feedback will tell you more than any course ever could.

Sarah Njeri3d

Alex, your delivery hustle lesson is the real deal. Since you already know the pain points of both shop owners and customers, I’d say grab Bubble this weekend and build just one screen, like a simple list of items from one shop with a phone number to order. What’s the first small thing you’d want to test with your neighbors, like maybe just sharing a WhatsApp number for orders?

Joshua Ssemakula3d

Alex, that delivery hustle lesson is pure gold and it applies perfectly here. I'd say go with no-code tools like Bubble this weekend - just build one screen for one shop in your estate, maybe a simple list of items with a WhatsApp number to order. That way you can test if people actually want it before spending months learning to code. What's one shop owner you already know who'd be willing to try this with you?

Amani1d

Hey Alex, your delivery hustle mindset is exactly what will carry you through this. Since the community is pointing you toward Bubble this weekend, here's a concrete next step: pick one shop in your estate, walk in and ask them to list their 5 best-selling items, then build a single page with those items and their WhatsApp number. That's your first "order" delivered. What time on Saturday could you carve out to try that?