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The biggest difference between a good developer and a great one?
It's not the programming language.
It's the questions they ask before writing the first line of code.
Before I start building any web application or mobile app, I always ask:
š¤ Who is the user?
šÆ What problem are they trying to solve?
ā³ Which task wastes the most time?
š” How can we make their experience simpler?
Because technology alone doesn't create value.
The right solution does.
A beautiful interface is important.
Clean code is important.
Scalable architecture is important.
But none of them matter if the product doesn't solve a real business problem.
The best software feels effortless.
It removes friction, saves time, and helps people achieve their goals without thinking about the technology behind it.
That's the kind of digital experience every product should aim for.
I'm curious...
What's one app or website you use regularly because it simply feels right?
š Drop its name in the comments. I'd love to know what makes it stand out
The network for creativity
Join 1.25M professional creatives like you
Connect with clients, get discovered, and run your business 100% commission-free
Creatives on Contra have earned over $150M and we are just getting started
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two years ago I was charging less than a grand for a website.
this week I crossed $960k on Contra.
same hands and same tools but the thing that really changed is I stopped charging for my time and started charging for what the work is worth to the company.
took me way too long to get this however when you bill hourly you're basically punishing yourself for getting good, you spend years getting faster and cleaner and the reward is you make less for the same result which makes no sense.
and half the time you're designing for a company that's about to raise millions, you're a big part of why they look fundable in the first place. charging that by the hour like it's a favor never sat right with me.
so at some point you just say the number, not a random one though.
sit down, figure out what each thing is actually worth to you, write it down, then say it out loud without doing the nervous little discount thing we all do.
the pricing was never the hard part but believing I was worth it was and I'm still working on that some days, however the number's finally catching up to the work.
anyway, road to a million, one project at a time. the count's live on my Contra profile if you want to watch it happen.
Amazing!
One of my favorite client phrases is:
"We already have the design. We just need you to refine and finalize it."
Every time I hear that, I know I'm about to redesign the whole thing. š
If it isn't working, that's not polishing.
That's design!!
Sometimes it's even harder than starting from scratch because you're working around decisions that already exist.
And usually... it's an AI image they generated.
What's your "favorite" client phrase?
I agree! My favorite phrase is "we want to share a more specific visual direction that feels closer to the brand identity." and they proceed to edit the designs I made with AI
Just wrapped up The Hunt, my submission for the RENOISE Challenge.
This project was all about building tension through atmosphere rather than dialogue or gore. Every shot, discarded iteration, and transition was explored inside the Renoise Canvas until the pacing felt right. Sometimes the best creative decision is knowing what not to keep.
The attached workflow shows the complete production processāfrom early experiments and unused generations to the assets that made the final cut.
If you're interested in AI-powered filmmaking, creative workflows, or visual storytelling, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Join the challenge here š https://on.contra.com/8DkBwr
#RenoiseChallenge #AIFilmmaking #GenerativeAI #CreativeWorkflow #VisualStorytelling #Contra
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