Tom Gregory

Building for income, freedom, and a good cup of chai.

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

I built five apps that almost nobody used.

After a year away, I'm considering my sixth. To avoid making the same mistakes again, I'm scoring ideas against these criteria.

I don't want to over-analyse. Just to put in a bit more thought before diving in head first.

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

First feature built using Claude Code.

Build time ~30mins.

I had to prompt a few minor performance/code reuse fixes, but overall I'm loving interacting with this AI through the terminal.

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

@alistaiir Very cool. Do you have a plan for this or just experimenting?

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

@Motion_Viz 2026

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

@alistaiir Very cool. Would it be possible to create a visual of this data on a map?

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

@grundstromleo Thank you. Would love to watch it on YouTube.

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

@fekdaoui This feels like one of those wingsuit videos without the safety briefing.

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

@burcs 50% of that tech stack is redundant for taking payments.

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

Can guys 40+ stand out from the crowd?

Two choices:

1. Become a cliché product of the bad habits you picked up in your 20s or 30s, like everyone else.

2. Reject your past, recreate your identity, and be an example of what's possible.

Age is only a limit if you believe it so.

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

Set working hours. Fine-tuned diet. Zero-caffeine.

A strict daily routine eventually feels like a trap.

Blow a hole through it. Show it who's boss. Welcome in some chaos and a new era of creativity.

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

What product could you promote without shame?

100% aligned. Truly yours. Total confidence getting the sale.

Every developer has a product like this just waiting to come to life.

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

Deploying my new book landing page with SST + AWS + Next.js. This stack has the perfect ratio of ease of use to flexibility.

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

My last technical book launch was a major flop.

Here's how "Internet Essentials for Developers" fell short:

- It felt like reading a textbook.
- The benefit for devs wasn't compelling.
- The book came out of nowhere, with no build up.

Mistakes to avoid for my next launch.

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

Building a landing page for my new book (still unwritten). The goal is to offer juicy bonuses in exchange for pre-orders. Then I'll have extra-motivation to get the project finished.

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

I asked myself "Why am I putting off writing my book?"

- I'm a developer, not a writer.
- My experience isn't worth sharing.
- I don't know where to start.

Despite the excuses, I know one thing. If I can't make this book happen, I can't make any project happen.

So I carry on.

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

How to overcomplicate writing a book? I'm trying all the tactics. I wrote for 30 days straight and now I'm starting again. Replacing my boring "life-story" with actionable insights for devs.

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

Research is boring. Forcing yourself to look for information to support some argument. Where's the fun in that?

Following your interests feels way more natural. Exploring topics you would anyway, seeing what you find along the way, then creating something meaningful from it.

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

A developer's freedom is limited by his ability to learn non-dev skills.

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

My ebook landing page conversion rate is 3%. Apparently that's good. But I just don't have the traffic. And I can't generate more. Still, 3 years after launch I think it's cool this still sells.

[Tom Gregory @TomGregoryTech]

Modern developers rightly want a life that revolves around their interests. I'm obsessed with YouTube, building small apps, and freedom of al kinds. We're all idealists. Have a belief you can earn a living doing work you care about. Take action in that direction until it happens.