Ask HN: I'm looking for a partner

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1370042

by lachyg • 16 years ago

29 57 16 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

Hi Guys,

I'm not totally sure if this type of post is allowed, but I'd love to partner with a like minded person from HN.

I'll tell you a bit about the site, and my dialemma. I have run this site for 2-3 weeks, and it has just surpassed 400,000 page views. I hit profitability in the first week, and it is growing quite well. I'm making money through sponsored cases and affiliate revenue.

The problem is, I'm not sure what type of partner. Whether I want someone with good connections, PR ability, or the technical know how.

Would appreciate all input!

Cheers, Lachy

JarekS• 16 years ago

Maybe you should share a link to your site?

may• 16 years ago

First and formost, you want someone with intergerity. Someone who has your back and won't screw you over.

They may be great at coding, or business or PR or something else entirely. But you want someone you can trust by your side. Preferably someone who's great at something you're not, since you seem to have your end running just fine.

Someone who's in it for the right reasons.

At least, that's how I do it.

My two cents, - Nicholas E. May http://www.notjustbinary.com

lachyg19• 16 years ago

http://ipadcasefinder.com/ is the site. I'm doing quite well and plan on expanding it to be a network of Case Finding sites. It may look a bit 'lame', but it has the potential to be a very big earner (We could easily make $4k profit in our first month).

valisystem• 16 years ago

Don't call a your product 'lame' just because it is simple.

Making it good as you did is nothing but 'that' simple, maybe your experience make you think it is the natural way to go but not everyone follow that way.

And don't be ashamed that such a product doesn't trigger any real technical challenge. Be proud of it.

lachyg19• 16 years ago

Yeah, I am quite proud of it, I just think most will underestimate it. I really do appreciate where your coming from. :) Thanks

orblivion• 16 years ago

Well whatever we think, clearly your customers don't think it's lame :)

lachyg19• 16 years ago

Yep! We're getting something like 5 page views per visit, and a bounce rate of less than 40%.

quizbiz• 16 years ago

Please email me nnlevy at google's mail service. (For general purposes, you may want to add your contact info in your bio).

lachyg19• 16 years ago

Emailed you.

zackattack2• 16 years ago

How did you come up with the idea?

Also, according to http://danielbru.com/2010/05/03/announcing-my-next-venture/ you made Daring Fireball...nice.

lachyg19• 16 years ago

Thanks! Just to be clear, Daniel was a partner, he's now just an advisor. I'm not Daniel :)

My dad basically told me that I should be making some passive income, and a few days previous my friend dropped and cracked my iPad (without a case). Thus, iPCF was born! Hah!

zackattack2• 16 years ago

That's really fortuitous. Congratulations.

pdx• 16 years ago

When I Google ipad case, I don't find this site.

When I go to google keywords and check ipad case I get 165K searches per month, and that's broad, not phrase.

How are so many people finding you?

lachyg19• 16 years ago

That's a bit of a problem. We had a very high ranking position on that term #5 or so. Then we suddenly dissappeared on every single term. We're trying to get in touch with Google on this issue - just to make it clear - we did no spam / blackhat.

dmix2• 16 years ago

We track our search term rankings daily and they frequently drop off the frontpage google results for a day than come back higher up or at the same rank the next day.

Google is constantly testing sites and seeing which ones perform well.

I wouldn't be worried unless its still not back in 2-3 days.

charlesdm• 16 years ago

Throw me a mail if you want to have a chat. cdmba1 at gmail dot com

lachyg19• 16 years ago

Sent :-)

kevinelliott3• 16 years ago

I think before you can really pick a partner, you need to think very thoroughly about what you're very strong at, and what you could use a bit (or a lot) of improvement at.

For so many people, it's hard to be willing to identify what you are not so great at doing. Sometimes it's just a matter of admitting it. In other cases, you may actually struggle to determine where your weakest points are.

Then, once you've done that, you should look at the list and think about what you LIKE to do, and what you DON'T LIKE to do.

Prepare a final list which is composed of a cross section of what you are/aren't good at doing, and what you do/don't like to do.

Chances are, a person who is good at and likes to do what you aren't good at and don't like to do, is a good match for you.

kevinelliott3• 16 years ago

In other words: If you're good at web design and programming, then perhaps you want someone who's more business and idea focused. This person would need to have some connections too.

Otherwise, if you just don't like doing the design portion, but you really like to code, then find another entrepreneurial minded person who like to design.

lachyg19• 16 years ago

I'm a marketer, with basic technical knowledge. I know how to run and adjust WordPress blogs, I can dive into the code and change basic things.

I owned www.PSDtoWP.com - so I'm quite compitent. It's just the decisisions..

Do I want: - A designer - A coder - Someone well connected, or versed in device peripherals - Or another good PR / Marketing person (This is what I'd call myself)

aneth• 16 years ago

You sure got a lot of coverage and link love really quickly for a fairly simple idea. I'm curious how you accomplished that.

lachyg19• 16 years ago

It's really quite simple actually. I know it sounds cliche, but if it's good, people will write about it (if you tell them too). Basically, I get in touch with junior writers at the sites I target, and talk to them for a while before asking them for a favour.

Usually works!

jacquesm2• 16 years ago

Congratulations, you've got a live one.

Be critical about your prospective partners, and build in a trial period, if at all feasible meet in person.

lachyg19• 16 years ago

Sounds like a good plan. First step is finding a partner though!

jacquesm2• 16 years ago

Think of it as dating with handicaps.

A good business partner is my opinion about as hard find as a good marriage partner.

And you only really know how good your partner and you work together when you hit a serious obstacle.

Take your time, better to work a little harder and keep your options open for a while than to say 'yes' to someone too early.

This is probably even harder than finding a live startup, you seem to have that one licked though :)

One down, 50 to go or so!

btw, it's 'dilemma'.

gosuri• 16 years ago

Congratulations. You have solved the problem really well.

My biz partner is currently some one I went to school with and a good friend for years, some one I can share my bank account password with.

Connections are important but my personal thought is if you have a great product and achieved the market-fit hiring a professional or an advisor to help is at your disposal. But don't partner if the only asset they bring is connections.

I recommend looking in your circle first, some one you've worked with in the past, understands you really well, shares your vision and trust you.

There is some great advise on http://venturehacks.com/articles/pick-cofounder that might help you.

Good luck with the search.

dord• 16 years ago

If you're interested in a techie startup partner, I'd be happy to tell you more about myself. dan at danmunro dot com

rockstar93• 16 years ago

Can you describe how you got your initial traffic?

I'm very curious, and will probably be helpful to the community :)

lachyg19• 16 years ago

Well, it was basically just getting featured on big blogs, driving links and traffic. Then keeping it going on Twitter. What I do is find junior writers on the blogs, and then discuss the site with them, my story, etc. They will usually do a post.

Now my job is to keep it going.

rockstar93• 16 years ago

any numbers on direct/referring/searchengine percentages?

vaksel3• 16 years ago

since iPad is a registered trademark...you can lose that domain at any time

Milk it as much as you can...but don't expect to keep it forever.

I think a big problem with trying to rank for trademark terms, is that you'll never beat out apple for the #1 position. So even though "ipad case", is searched 70K+ a month, #2 position will only see a 1/3 of that if lucky.

lachyg19• 16 years ago

Do you think Apple would come at us?

vaksel3• 16 years ago

eventually yes...they have to defend their trademark or they'll lose it.

Here you can see a bunch of domains that they fought for:

http://www.udrpsearch.com/index.php?query=apple&search=p...

Granted for each one of those, there are probably hundreds of domains flying below apple's radar...but if you get big, you can expect them to sue.

one0101015• 16 years ago

Yes, eventually. Their success will hinge on whether you used the name before they did, imho. But you are a value-added service for them, so unless you poke at them they might simply decide to tolerate it. Their case would be complicated, regardless of the registry dates. But they have deep pockets and a case like that would bring them publicity, (as it would you), so who knows what they'll decide to do or not. Hard to predict that one. If I was on their counsel staff I'd say they should go for it and make sure there is nobody else using their trademark. And that's their pattern. I hope you're saving most of your income for your next venture. And I hope you are preparing your legal team with all the information you have available so they can give you the best advice possible. Good luck, my friend.

one0101015• 16 years ago

I agree mostly, but I would never say what can or can't happen, since this is in the civil arena. It all depends on what a jury would consider "reasonable" and that's hard to nail down. At the end of the day I think you are right, but Apple might like the value added and may not decide this is someone worth investing their massive resources to mobilize against. I'd prepare for it, but it is by no means inevitable.

wesley• 16 years ago

Why would you need a partner for a simple affiliate site like this?

lachyg19• 16 years ago

I plan on expanding quite a bit. Setting up a huge network of sites, expanding on features, working out the best ways of marketing and SEO.

seunosewa• 16 years ago

Sounds like you don't really need a partner now.

mawhidby• 16 years ago

There was a HN thread a few months ago regarding a cofounder wish list. Here's a link to the Google Spreadsheet that was created http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AgCvDTyBjHdOdDFfMENq...

lachyg19• 16 years ago

Ok, so I've found this rip of a site: http://ipadcasestore.org. What should I do? I know we bought the theme, but they ripped the concept, the filtering, the theme, etc. This sucks! (Also, they're ranking for our keyword - Which we had for about a week, then Google dropped us from all major keywords).

lewi• 16 years ago

Oh that is harsh! What douche bags!

shafqat2• 16 years ago

I just clicked on a link over to a vendor, and didn't see any affiliate tags on the URL. How do you make money on this purchase?

The product was the first one (CNS360 Neoprene)?

Great looking site, and nice idea.

lachyg19• 16 years ago

We only make money on some of the cases!

eagleal• 16 years ago

If you're ok with a front-end, design bg guy, email me pmura A/T pmura.commercial

Ask HN: I'm looking for a partner

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