Being a full-time open-source maintainer is a rare privilege. In the interests of transparency, let me explain a little more about how I am funded.
My story
I had been increasingly involved in open source - and particularly in contributing to the Nuxt ecosystem - whilst running first a creative agency and then a SaaS startup.
But when I decided (with my co-founder) to shut down the startup, Sébastien Chopin asked if he could sponsor me to work on Nuxt. I was already committed to the core team - so it didn't take me long to accept.
The majority of my funding comes from a retainer with NuxtLabs.
Sébastien Chopin, who created Nuxt and founded NuxtLabs, receives donations via the Nuxt GitHub Sponsors account (and other income streams) and in turn funnels that back into the community, sponsoring a number of open-source developers and enabling open-source work.
I prize my independence highly and deeply appreciate Sébastien's trust.
Sponsorship
While I don't receive any direct funding from Nuxt via GitHub Sponsors, I do have a number of individual and corporate sponsors that I value very highly.
I see open source as about 'mutual giving' and I appreciate these givers.
Their kindness enables me to devote additional time to open source, and to ensure it remains sustainable for me. I am looking for opportunities to thank my sponsors for their generosity, and would welcome ideas 🙏
Workshops and conferences
I am sometimes asked to give paid-for workshops at conferences, and I receive a share of the revenue of these workshops.
In addition, conferences cover the costs of my flights and hotel and (sometimes) a speaker's fee.
If cost is ever a factor, please ask. I do not charge for community events, nor do I speak at conferences for financial reasons.
Streaming
I receive some revenue from streaming on Twitch. I do not enable ads or otherwise seek to monetise the streams.
Consultancy
The time I have to work on projects outside of open source is limited. However, real-world projects help keep me relevant and grounded.
If you think your company would value a consultancy arrangement with me, please reach out. I am looking for:
- recurring duration (such as a monthly retainer)
- scheduled and measurable contributions
It is also possible to book a single hour's consultation with me.
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