Any idea for starting up a start-up without core computer skills

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2160494

by lightoverhead • 15 years ago

6 5 15 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

Hi Guys,

I want to have my own start-up/idea. I believe I have a great idea which needs to be implemented by web programming skills which I am lack of. I am wondering how could I start my own start-up with knowing limited knowledge or experience abut web programming. I have been thinking hiring some web developers to carry out my project. But this idea could be easily realized by people with a lot of web programming/developing skills. How could I make sure they will not scoop my idea. Or in another way, how should a person start a start-up without knowing too much about computer/web programing? Thanks.

mimbo• 15 years ago

If you've already convinced yourself that this idea is worth pursing by doing things like talking to 5 strangers about the idea, then I think that you should teach yourself the programming skills you need to implement the idea. If you are truly passoinate about your idea, this won't be a big obstacle.

Almost all of the people that you could pay to work on your idea are in the business of getting paid by clients to write programs, not in the business of implementing business ideas themselves. They don't have the investment in your idea to work the nights and weekends for free that it would take to turn your idea into a business. That means that you can probably trust them. However it also means that they aren't as committed to implementing your vision as you need them to be.

If you teach yourself to program, you can make sure that your vision is implemented correctly. I also guarantee that your idea will be improved by the process of writing the code yourself.

The reason I can say this with such confidence is that six years ago I had an idea. I took some money and found some developers and paid them to implement the vision. They happily took my money, but kept running into obstacles and telling me, "It can't be done." Each time they did I'd dig into the work that they'd already done and do a ton of research and come back a week later and say, "I think you can do it this way." They'd get back to work and then after a while they'd come to me again and say, "It can't be done." Unfortunately I ran out of money before anything useful came out of this process.

However, I was still passionate about my idea. I assumed that the problem was that I had the wrong developers. So I wrote everything I knew about my idea down in a PowerPoint presentation and showed it to some friends and they gave me more money. So I founds some other developers and quickly reestablished the same pattern. At this point I was used to it. They'd say, "It can't be done" and I'd find a way to move the process forward. This time I had enough money to get a crude prototype out of the process. Unfortunately, when I showed it to people, they didn't like it. It was an implementation of my idea and solved a problem, but it was awkward and slow and largely unusable. I was out of money again and didn't have anything more to show for it.

However, I was still passionate about my idea. About 18 months ago I decided that I was going to teach myself to program so that I could implement my idea on my own. I'd learned BASIC as a kid and took a few programming classing in college, but it wasn't my major and I'd never attempted anything on this scale before. It has taken a lot of time and hard work, but I am closer to the achieving my vision than ever, and more importantly, my idea has been dramatically improved by the process of writing it myself.

anujkk• 15 years ago

An idea in itself doesn't worth much even if it is a great idea. What matters more for you is to determine how you can contribute in the successful implementation of idea and then look for others who can compliment to your skills.

Ask these questions to yourself -

1. Is my idea really good?

    - Is my taget market new or underserved?

    - Why will customers use my solution - is it cheaper? is it better than existing ones?

    - Is there really any demand of my solution ?

    - Is my idea feasible? Do I have the capital, skills, man power, etc to implement it or can arrange it somehow?

    - Is my idea profitable?

2. How can I contribute in implementing my idea?

    - I can write code. (Try learning if you don't know programming. It will help you in long term. )

    - I can design my web application.(Try learning if you don't know.)

    - I can do marketing. I can get a first few clients/users and then keep bringing more.

    - I can handle finance. I can provide/raise money to successfully run the business till it becomes profitable enough. 

    - I am good and experienced in management. I can fit in the role of CEO.

If you are unable to contribute to the business in any way then you aren't yet ready to startup. Make yourself ready. Learn the skills required.

If you can do some of these but can't just program, you need to write a good business plan, develop a prototype(paper or html), and look for a good technical cofounder(its better if he is in your friend circle).

opcwal• 15 years ago

I'm in the same boat. I'm having freelancers do the technical coding stuff. Try elance, odesk, or scriptlance. I'm using the last one.

lightoverhead• 15 years ago

These are very nice resource for me. Thank you for your info. And Thank you for all the advice given by the above people.

imkevingao• 15 years ago

The answer is that you just have to trust your instincts. I believe you're at the beginning stage of entrepreneurial myopia, which is good because that's where innovation comes from, but at the same time you'd be amazed at how many great ideas people around the world come up with.

I'm not trying to discourage, instead I'm trying to encourage you. Like all initial ideas, unless you've been in the industry for years and years, yours probably haven't really taken shape yet, it's just a good start. I would highly recommend first sharing it with someone you trust, a close friend or mentor, to get some honest feedback about it.

And when you do look for a partner, you have to think about what you can offer. A web startup requires good developer/s. Unless you're willing to learn it all by yourself, or you're one of those rare people like my college roommate who hires six developers for his startup because he has the money to do that, prepare to give out chunks of your company out. The best solution I propose is to find two partners and give out 60%'ish. if you think you have a billion dollar idea, it's probably more viable to make it more than an idea than to worry about harvesting the money, because you'd be surprised at how many things could go wrong.

Bottom line is don't be paranoid. If you can convince a qualified developer to jump onboard for sweat equity, then maybe your idea does have potentials. Just don't share your idea with every other person, but don't become paranoid. At this stage, you should be worrying about finding a partner than about someone stealing your idea.

Any idea for starting up a start-up without core computer skills

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