Tips on Finding a Technical Co-Founder (for the non-programmer)

http://shelfmade.wordpress.com/2007/10/03/finding-founders/

by mikesabat • 19 years ago

11 22 19 years ago

shelfmade.wordpress.com

chaostheory7• 19 years ago

I think his list needs some additions:

"4. Start Without Your Co-Founder."

Learn to program while you start developing the idea. One of the main fears/complaints of programmers in startups (without funding) is "will I be doing the majority of the work while everyone else is sitting pretty?" Even if you (think) that you still suck - it'll still win you respect, not to even your start is off and running.

Personally "programming" to me includes good knowledge of UI related stuff like css AND javascript, both of which the typical hacker knows little of (at least in my experience hackers typically suck at implementing and designing UI). If you have knowledge of that - probably no real need to learn python, ruby, or x language...

"5. Bring Something With You"

Expertise in the domain of your industry is a given... funding (or your own money) if you're not willing to even try to program is even nicer.

If you don't have any of the previous things I just mentioned then your name better be recognizable at least in the blogosphere (say Merlin Mann, Om Malik, ...) because if not, the hacker is going to question your value proposition...

mikesabat4• 19 years ago

Agreed. I'm really speaking to the people that I meet and the people posing the question on YC News. If your name is Om Malik, you don't need to look to far to find a programmer that is willing to help.

As for learning to program - it's a great idea, but I would fully develop the business model, marketing plan, site map and probably 10 other things before I suggest someone start from scratch learning HTML.

chaostheory7• 19 years ago

While it's important doing the biz model/marketing plan, the idea is going to change/evolve anyway... with two weeks of hard work that stuff will need minimal maintenance after that...

Unless the idea needs a lot of business development (eg direct sales), programming is a good next step (by programming I'm also loosely including UI development)

breck• 19 years ago

I disagree. I think if you can't program, you shouldn't be starting a tech company. (Unless you worked for a Google, MSFT, etc in a non-tech role & have great tech contacts)

Just like if you've never used a hammer, you shouldn't start a construction company.

edw5194• 19 years ago

"Learn to program while you start developing the idea."

I understand the spirit of this advice, but sorry, I don't buy it. Now is not the time for non-programmers to learn programming. I'll have enough work to do without refactoring your garbage. If you want to pencil up screens, flowcharts, or schemas, then do just that - use a pencil.

There are 2 better solutions to the "majority of the work" issue. Either get multiple experienced developers or give me more equity. See how easy.

chaostheory7• 19 years ago

Good point, but most programmers are clueless on the UI side anyways and would be happy to offload that stuff

"There are 2 better solutions to the "majority of the work" issue. Either get multiple experienced developers or give me more equity. See how easy."

a ton of ideas sound "easy" until u actually start doing them... since the issue is how to attract even one technical person, i think your 1st solution is easier said than done... your 2nd idea is a lot more realistic but 100% of nothing implemented is still 100% of nothing (until some work is put in)...

nostrademons• 19 years ago

What's worked well for me is to have my cofounder hunt for libraries and mock-up prototypes. He can Google, I can Google, so he might as well free up the time for me to work on the production product. And we always, always prototype 3rd-party libraries before using them in the real product (how else are we gonna know if they work well for our purposes?) It doesn't matter much to me if I throw out his garbage or if I throw out my garbage, we have to rewrite it anyway. I just want to have a working example in front of me that does what we need.

yagibear• 19 years ago

Any tips on finding a NON-technical co-founder?

mikesabat4• 19 years ago

Yes, Great question. I was planning on writing that as the next post.

Prrometheus• 19 years ago

What are ya doing? Need an ex-I Banker?

menloparkbum• 19 years ago

Here are some real tips:

1. Have a lot of money

2. Be famous already (also rich, see 1)

3. Give away at least 45% of the company

4. Don't be a douche

mikesabat4• 19 years ago

With these qualities you don't need to find a programmer, they find you. If you have money and a name you aren't looking for a co-founder, you're looking for an employee.

sanj• 19 years ago

I'm going to ignore 1&2 because they're snarky and unhelpful. And I have zero personal interest in making the rich richer.

But the last two are valid points.

The balance of power has changed. PHBs looking for technically brilliant but real-life-stupid engineers are going to fail. To lure talented tech away, you're going to have to pay for it. A lot.

The subtext I read into the plaintive pleas about "I can't find a technical cofounder" is "who will work for a pittance, both in money and options."

Which is what #4 is saying.

To hire brilliant coders, you have to treat them like equals, if not more than equals given that they have the mad skillz.

Tips on Finding a Technical Co-Founder (for the non-programmer)

Related Stories