Hi folks.
I’m just starting to work with Xojo in Windows after playing with it on my Mac. I’ll be doing most of my dev stuff on Windows for windows. I’m considering the Pro version after learning enough and practicing enough to get comfortable to sell apps. That being said, I’m wondering how well the support for developers is in relation to helping secure clients with the Xojo developer program? I think that’s what it’s called where Xojo collects information on clients or potential clients that need apps built and submits them to developers who can contact the potential client if interested in doing the work? Are there many opportunities for work? I’m especially interested in doing DB / two and N tier work, as well as other work.
I hope this was an appropriate question and the appropriate place or forum category to submit the same.
Thanks so much in advance.
Tim
There’s a referral service offered by Xojo (Client -> Developer). Personally, most of my clients come from word-of-mouth referrals by other clients. As I continue to develop for clients and fulfill contracts, my contact & client list grows seemingly exponentially. I have no experience with Xojo’s referral service, but if you ‘WOW’ a client, you’ll usually have ‘more work knocking on your door.’
I’d ask @Dana Brown or @Alyssa Foley. I’m sure they can answer any and all questions you may have about the program. The Xojo team is quite busy, but they’re always willing to help if you send a message or give Xojo, Inc. a call. 
Hi Tim - Pro users receive consulting leads from us. People looking for a developer visit this page and submit consulting requests with which we post on the Pro-only forum.
Thank you Dana and Matthew. I really appreciate it. I was just wondering as I’m really, really considering a consulting business. Trying to find an office now, etc, I used to work in the IT field before an illness, so I have some making up to do, but I just love the business too much and have some great app ideas, etc,… Thanks again.
Tim
I have a staff of 4 full-time Xojo developers. We get leads from the Xojo Find a Developer page and now, by a lot of word of mouth (I’ve been a full-time consultant for about 15 years now).
My advice is to NOT get an office if you can help it. Your first couple of months, if not year, are going to be sporadic unless you have a big client already in the works. Don’t get the overhead expense of an office. We have so few local clients it doesn’t matter and you can always rent one later if you need clients on-site. Our experience has been that we go to the clients and not the other way around.
Think about your consulting rates and make sure they are high enough to pay all the overhead, your salary, time for vacations, and hopefully enough to save for retirement. Even we’re not busy 100% of the time so the rate has to tide your over between gigs. When money is good - save it - because you’ll need it when the income isn’t so good.
I say this as a consultant who’s had to pick up the client pieces after consultants left the market suddenly. Almost all of them hadn’t planned on the variability of income and work. And don’t plan on the 3rd party development products market to be a lucrative one. Most of us that do that are also consultants and whatever we make from our dev products is just icing on the cake but we certainly can’t make a living from dev products.
This is not to discourage you but to force you to plan on failure even as you expect success. You can make a living doing Xojo consulting. You just need to plan on not having immediate success. No one knows you yet. How does anyone know you’re any good at Xojo development? Those are the questions you’ll have to answer to prospective clients.
Anyway, have fun and good luck. I’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.
Good advice Bob. I consulted for 20 years and one other thing to remember is the busier you are the harder it is to look for your next job(s). Bigger jobs are great and can really make up for slow times but often when the big job ends the pipeline is empty.