Ask HN: Trouble doing my own startup

>every idea I have there's already a startup that's doing something very similar (if not the exact thing) - and is super well funded or positioned

You can still differentiate yourself. For example, find out what users don't like about competing services or products, and why they don't like it. What other features do similar apps/products/services offer, and what else are users asking for? Offer that.

>I'm also having a hard time attracting a co-founder.

What do you want out of a co-founder? Letting HN know what you're looking for might help you find the right person. Chances are the right person is out there, and very well might be reading your post - but they don't know what you're looking for. Do you want a business oriented person? A product focused person? A marketing expert? Someone with a finance background? So many variables here.

> You can still differentiate yourself. For example, find out what users don't like about competing services or products, and why they don't like it. What other features do similar apps/products/services offer, and what else are users asking for? Offer that.

I think this is true for challenging established or med/late stage startups but I keep running into seed/Series A startups or agencies. I'm less so worried about the agencies since their breadwinner is usually their consultancy service and their SaaS/tool offerings serve as marketing.

> What do you want out of a co-founder? Letting HN know what you're looking for might help you find the right person. Chances are the right person is out there, and very well might be reading your post - but they don't know what you're looking for. Do you want a business oriented person? A product focused person? A marketing expert? Someone with a finance background? So many variables here.

Because I'm not pursuing a specific idea I'm very flexible and it's hurting my chances. I have a chicken and an egg problem between figuring out the business & finding the right people to help me with it. The advice I read online suggests focusing on the people first (since the biz idea changes a lot) but I'm not super sure about it.

I will sound cliche too, but still honest:

- start a startup just for the sake of having a cool startup is the worst motivator possible, ive never seen it working as a sole and primary motivation. Although it is often a background or initial ignition for some of entrepreneurs Ive known (both successful and not so much).

- startup is first and foremost a business, at the heart of the business lies businesses model, sales and marketing. Technology is just one of many possible ways to make business model working and/or deliver the value to customers

- summing up the two above - it’s not about how many mvps you have, or how cool you are as a developer, it’s about you finding the real actual problem you care enough and competent enough to see what is exactly wrong with current competitors and validating your solution with real customers

"Because I'm trying to figure out "the unique" angle for the startup"

"my ambition with the startup is to eventually match my bay area salary."

If your primary aim is to replace your bay area salary, you don't need a unique angle. You need to focus on creating a business that does enough cashflow to replace your bay area income. Very possible even without a co founder and the real startup definition. You just need to create a small business that brings in say 500k at some point for you ?

If this is your primary goal and you don't care about changing the world and all, just pick a good boring idea in a vast space with real problems and focus on getting enough customers in that space first by yourself. learn how to sell by trying to sell. If you get lucky along the way, may be you will find a couple of good people who could end up being part of this or not.

Another option is to buy an existing small business that may be doing something already and you can grow it further. If you work in bay area and have saved up well, you could buy a biz for say 500-600K that brings in 150-200k cashflow per year give or take. Then work on expanding that cashflow further.

find an establish startup that is doing well with low customer aquisition cost and replicate their product. Make it 70% cheaper. Sell.