Ask HN: Looking for hard-working, ambitious co-founder

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=303293

by dthefounder • 18 years ago

20 31 18 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

I'm looking for someone who: - is ready to go "all in" in a new startup, preferably an enterprise software startup. - want to grow a long-term business. - has a strong business/technology sense.

At this point I'm curious about finding someone who's genuinely interested to build a durable business. I have a good idea of what I want to build and I'm ready to take on either the business side or the technical side; so that means I'm looking for either a spirited coder or business-savvy entrepreneur/product designer.

More about me: I've been running a relatively successful (500k/yr revenue, 5 full-time employees) startup for the last 3 years. I could bootstrap the business with 10-20k if needed. I'm located in Canada but I'm willing to relocate if needed.

Contact me at dthefounder at gmail for more details.

dcurtis3• 18 years ago

I'm looking for a beautiful blonde attractive wife. She has to be ready to live with me in a deep relationship, starting immediately. I have a good idea of where I want the relationship to go, as I have some experience-- I previously had a successful marriage with 2 kids and a minivan.

Contact me if interested.

(Seriously, I think this reads too much like a stereotypical job ad, and less like a search for a cofounder. Cofounders need to have much better relationships than employees, and I'm hesitant to think that four paragraphs of generic superlatives is the right way to find partners for a business venture.)

DenisM5• 18 years ago

In your example attractive blond needs anonymous dude much less than he needs her. In the OP however the match looks more even. Whats missing is specifics. Hardly anyone would jump on "enterprise software", and those who do should be looked at with suspicion.

josefresco• 18 years ago

I see Negative Nancy is already here. Jees, cut the guy a break.

dcurtis3• 18 years ago

I don't mean to be overly negative, but 1) I don't really want to see this kind of stuff here, and 2) I don't think this is really an effective way to find a cofounder.

mingyeow2• 18 years ago

com'on, i highly commend this guy here. it is plain out impossible to be convinving in a few paragraphs, and he said enough to attract people who might also be looking for a great guy

h34t2• 18 years ago

Many a marriage has started with an offhand comment about the weather, just to break the ice.

Brushfire• 18 years ago

Seriously?

OK. I'm in. But I need 55% ownership and a 75k/yr Salary + benefits. Also, I prefer to do the business side, so I'll go ahead and file all the papers and then hire you as an employee (dont worry, you can still be silent, minority investor too, but I'm afraid I cant give you any real voting rights). :)

With that out of the way -- there is a lot of discussion about whether hacker news is a great place to find co-founders. To be honest, this place is probably chock full of awesome co-founders, both technical or business. But the method of your request is all wrong.

Great partnerships are sort of like relationships. Its about give and take, its about strengths and weaknesses. I hate to say it, but you arent going to have any idea about that from a post on here, and its a horrible way to start an enterprise. $10 says you get 6 months in, realize you have different visions for the company, and one of you walks, leaving the other with a pile of shit and a lot of bills. Nevermind, you can keep the $10. You're going to need it.

To be frank -- You would be better off using this place to ask for advice on a more specific topic -- perhaps something you are weak at. Then look through the responses, find the ones that strike you as the smart, intuitive responses, and ask those people if they mind having lunch with you. Rinse, repeat 20 times. Then you will start to build a network. Have a beer with those people occasionally. Talk about similar interests (I guess for you, your idea in enterprise software...). A natural choice for someone who COULD be a partner will filter itself out. And you'll be better off, because you will actually be at least ACQUAINTANCES with that person, so you'll have an idea if they are shitting you or the real thing.

[Sidebar -- If you are equally as capable in business and technical side, wtf do you want a partner for? You need employees and investors.]

Sorry to be a downer on your idea -- but your methodology stinks as either someone who is lazy or a liar, and neither of those make good partners.

an0nymous• 18 years ago

I am a charismatic figure, often seen leaping tall buildings in a single bound or moving faster than a speeding bullet. I have been known to build houses for the homeless in the slums of Harlem on my lunch breaks. I walk old ladies across the street, I write motivational speeches, and I double down on twenty and win - all in half an hour. I sleep in a Yoga position on a bed of nails while drinking water. Occasionally, I run the New York Marathon and win. I take women’s breaths away with my divine artwork.

I move so quickly I make Jet Li look like a chump and my deft-defying footwork leaves Michael Jordan in awe. I am wanted in 2,359 countries as a political outlaw and am worshipped by a small Pigmy tribe in Africa. Using a pair of chopsticks and soy sauce I once saved a small Chinese restaurant in Brooklyn from the Asian Mafia. I build mainframe telecommunication networks for fun and single handedly defeated twenty 5 yr. olds in a game of Dodge Ball. I’ve been banned from playing the lottery because I win so much. In a Hyundai Excel I ran the quarter mile in the high 9’s. My incredible good looks are such that I make lesbians go straight.

Scientists have preserved my DNA for the cloning of a future biogenetically engineered army to take over the world. I coined the phrase “Bootie Call” and your sister once had a crush on me not so long ago. I write articles for GQ, The Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times just to amuse myself. I scored a 1600 on the SAT.

dthefounder• 18 years ago

You guys are giving me a hard time. I'm just tired of trying to convince my friends to start a business. I wanted to outline my "forces" in this post; just hint about what I'm capable of. As for Craigslist: it's too local, not technical enough to find anyone. I just want to meet someone who share the same interests and values. Obviously some of you don't, and I'd suggest just stop whining about it. BTW, your assumptions are sometime telling a little bit too much about you...

wheels2• 18 years ago

But you didn't actually say anything about your values. Here's your post boiled down to actual content:

"I want to start a business related startup. I've worked for a small startup. I've got enough cash to get us through the first few months. I live in Canada."

Other than that there's not much to go on. Would you jump at a pitch like that?

h34t2• 18 years ago

It's not a pitch, it's an ice-breaker. A signal of intent. The equivalent of cracking a smart joke to the girl next to you at the bar: You both know what you're after, but neither of you can know whether you want to be with each other until somebody makes the first move and gets the ball rolling (which should NOT be a summary of your entire life's experience). That's all this is; I applaud.

jodrellblank• 18 years ago

Well you haven't really done that - your post says you are capable of everything. Business and tech and successful management and financial support. All strengths no weaknesses?

You reject Craigslist for being not technical enough, yet the most detail you give is "I have an idea"? Are you looking to compute spaceshuttle flightpaths using CUDA, make "a web daytybasey" or write a portaloo rental scheduler for SAP?

Someone who shares the same values? What values? Running a company then leaving it? Posting a vague post and when criticized and asked for more details, telling people to stop whining, then making insinuating comments about them? Complaining about being given a hard time when faced with a dozen paragraphs of text on the internet?

This is the internet, you talk people listen. Spend time and effort listening. Hundreds or thousands of people, minutes each. Person hours wasted. Consider the ice pre-broken.

It might be a bit late now, but giving lots more details is about the only way you could salvage this thread, IMO.

Ask HN: Looking for hard-working, ambitious co-founder

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