Ask HN: What to look for in a NON-technical cofounder

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2185297

by sgallant • 15 years ago

4 5 15 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

There is a lot of talk on HN about what to look for in a technical cofounder but I'm wondering what we should look for in a non-technical cofounder. Is there even a need for this person in a small startup? I recall reading that 37 signals doesn't hire anyone who doesn't have a strong technical skill set; no one whose only role is to manage others.

What should a non-technical cofounder bring to the table?

rachnaspace• 15 years ago

If you're a technical founder, with some interest and understanding on how to create some buzz around your app and get in users - I'd say, you don't really need a business / non-technical founder early on. Though, at some stage when you start scaling up, you will need someone (could be technical or non-technical) who can help on the business side. Andrew Chen's recent post has some good points on this -

http://andrewchenblog.com/2011/02/05/stanford-cs-major-seeks...

"What do geeks really need help with? It’s very simple- there’s a class of purely business-related stuff that adds value:

selling stuff and making money getting partnerships and marketing/distribution of the product funding the company scalable marketing/monetization strategy (ad arb / viral / freemium / etc.) team recruiting, particularly of other engineers and disciplines (not other MBAs please) If you are an expert at any of the above and can show it, then there’s a lot more value. Very few business folks, particularly newly-minted MBAs (with the exception of Stanford folks) or industry-switchers can really deliver on these though, which is why they’re not bringing much to the table.

Then there’s a class of things that are much more product-oriented, and while it overlaps with the skillset of some engineers, if you have great skills in any of the following, they are clearly valuable too:

design, especially visual design UI/frontend skills – HTML/CSS/JS – even if mediocre! copywriting within the product for help text, marketing, etc user research and customer development usability testing."

mindcrime2• 15 years ago

Is there even a need for this person in a small startup?

I guess it depends on the nature of the startup. If your startup is a threewords.me type thing, then maybe you don't need a "business person" early on; you just need to launch the app, promote it a bit, and if it goes viral, slap some ads on there or what-have-you.

But if your startup is a B2B enterprise software startup, and you're a purely technical founder with no background in sales, marketing, prospecting, lead generation, etc., then I'd say you absolutely want a "business person" on-board from very early.

I recall reading that 37 signals doesn't hire anyone who doesn't have a strong technical skill set; no one whose only role is to manage others.

Just because they're "non-technical" doesn't mean their only role is to manage others. A "non technical cofounder" could/should be participating in: doing customer development, developing a marketing strategy, prospecting for leads, closing sales, finding funding, negotiating funding deals, doing business development (partnerships, etc.), developing a channel strategy, talking to channel partners, etc., etc., etc.

What should a non-technical cofounder bring to the table?

Again, depends on the situation. What I'm looking for in a non-technical cofounder includes:

experience selling enterprise software, experience developing marketing strategy, experience with customer development, knowledge of positioning, existing relationships with potential customers and partners, relationships with potential investors, and the ability to sell ice to Eskimos (or Bibles to the Devil.)

Janice• 15 years ago

Non-techie checking in.

As an outsider, this diminution of the non-techie into the "sales and marketing" box seems pervasive throughout the hacker network. And a bit dangerous. Is is not I, the non-techie, who is responsible for your sacred traction, which is required so that you may be crowned a success?

Perhaps I've other contributions, relevant to the actual product you want me to sell, that might be of value.

mindcrime2• 15 years ago

Interesting... I don't see the "sales and marketing" box as a diminutive thing at all. If you see my answer above, I put a tremendous amount of value on those functions. And, as a techie first and foremost, I acknowledge that those are my weak areas, so - for me - looking for a "sales and marketing" person is to look for a person with skills that are a complement to mine. Of course I do know a little something about marketing, and any technical skills the "sales and marketing" person has are valued. In fact, if you are selling a very technical product, the folks in sales and marketing must have some degree of technical know-how in order to understand their own product!

Perhaps I've other contributions, relevant to the actual product you want me to sell, that might be of value.

Certainly. It would be interesting, however, to hear you elaborate on that, from your non-techie point of view. As a techie, I know what I think I want in a non-techie "sales and marketing" person, but how about you tell us what you think you'd be bringing to the table as the co-founder of a startup? Might be a good reality check for some of us techie types...

eunomad• 15 years ago

I agree that it depends on the type of business you are developing. The success of our start-up requires someone with my specific knowledge which is non-technical.

I can tell you what I am bringing to the table so maybe you can understand why someone who is non-technical is helpful in a start-up.

1. I came up with the idea and keep generating ideas. 2. I have Specific knowledge of the market we are targeting and what they need. I forecasted where the market would go and I am comfortable that I will still be able to do this in the future. 3. I am not afraid to approach anyone about anything. 4. Happy to do work outside my comfort zone. 5. Writing and researching and design skills. 6. I hack things outside of technology. 7. Entrepreneurial background. I know what I am getting into and what it takes to succeed. 8. Business experience on three continents giving me a global perspective of what is needed by our users in different areas of the world in relationship to our project. 9.Graduate degree that saves our company money. 10. Ego in check.

So that is what I bring to the company. Find someone like that and you will be super happy because you will be able to focus more time on the stuff that you love doing which is technical.

Ask HN: What to look for in a NON-technical cofounder

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