Perhaps my biggest advantage is that, while I do spend some time coding, when I think about our software I am not constrained by the fear that I will have to implement my own ideas. It may seem crass, but as someone who has worked long years in the trenches I know that there is a subconscious tendency to discount ideas that may have huge long-term benefits if it means a lot of work in the short term.
Hate to admit it, but it's true. It's something you fight against.