Ask HN: Can we brainstorm a better way to find a co-founder? • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: Can we brainstorm a better way to find a co-founder?

#31

Post by rokhayakebe » Sun, Jun 07, 2015, 5:00 PM UTC

shalmanese wrote: post #25

jasode wrote: post #10

>For me, I want to meet a CTO. You have to realize that it's harder for a "business" guy to attract a technical cofounder rather than for a programmer whiz to attract a business guy. It's definitely a handicap. The programmer can build something and that can jumpstart the cascade of people (including business people) to join the cause. As a non-tech person, what do you offer potential tech cofounders? If you give off…

I disagree. I've found in my experience it's far easier in theory for a business guy to attract a technology co-founder than the other way around. This insight isn't clear from the outside due to a) the existence of "business" guys who do no business and complain vocally and b) the existence of tech+some business guys who know enough business to get their product off the ground and then find a good business guy to ba…

Honestly, most of the things you list above make one sound like a semi-technical founder.

Re: Ask HN: Can we brainstorm a better way to find a co-founder?

#32

Post by rokhayakebe » Sun, Jun 07, 2015, 5:02 PM UTC

If you are non-technical invest your time into learning how to build, or paying someone to build MVPs. Once a product has some traction, bringing in talent will be easier and certainly cheaper (equity-wise).

If you are a technical founder, invest your time into learning marketing. It really only takes trial and error.

Re: Ask HN: Can we brainstorm a better way to find a co-founder?

#33

Post by kumph » Sun, Jun 07, 2015, 5:02 PM UTC

bshimmin wrote: post #26

kumph wrote: post #12

Maybe you're looking for me? If you're interested in becoming co-founder of a growing, cash-flow positive business in a giant market, please reach out. In short, Forkable is "Pandora for Lunch". AngelList profile: https://angel.co/forkable My email can be guessed from my first name, "Joe"

I absolutely love these "$EXISTING_BUSINESS for $TOTALLY_RANDOM_THING" startups, and this might just be my favourite. What does "Pandora for Lunch" even mean? Is it Pandora the streaming radio service or Pandora the jewellery company? Neither seems at all applicable to lunch!

The streaming radio service. You sign up, tell us about your diet, and every week we email you a calendar of lunches from awesome local restaurants. Easily modify the suggestions with our online interface, or just sit back and let the good food come.

As for the "X for Y" meme, I agree they tend to oversimplify. Nivi of AngelList provides compelling arguments why they are worthwhile anyway: http://venturehacks.com/articles/high-concept-pitch

Re: Ask HN: Can we brainstorm a better way to find a co-founder?

#34

Post by ttaylorr » Sun, Jun 07, 2015, 5:05 PM UTC

I don't know if there is a good answer to this question simply because I don't think we're looking at it the right way.

In my mind, a product/business/whathaveyou should be a collaboration between two or three individuals, who, should the project grow, become cofounders.

I don't think the process should be:

  1) create idea
  2) idea becomes business
  3) "oh shit who will help me cofound this co.?"
  4) find cofounder through means described in this thread
  5) run successful business

...rather, the process should be:

  1) with friends, create idea
  2) develop idea
  3) create profitable business, with the aforementioned friends as cofounders.

In my mind, the later described process works with a high success rate since you have essentially "vetted" your friends in step 1. However, I don't know if you really can vet your friends against the challenges described in step 3, but perhaps that is what dooms a large percentage of startups.

Who knows.

Re: Ask HN: Can we brainstorm a better way to find a co-founder?

#35

Post by smaili » Sun, Jun 07, 2015, 5:06 PM UTC

paulscliu wrote: post #5

My approach is the following: 1. Learn to code 2. Build the prototype 3. Try to sell the prototype to verify the market 4. Bootstrap the business 5. Get the business going then people (co-founder, investor,etc...) will show up

I couldn't agree more with this. People will come to you once you have something that works.

Re: Ask HN: Can we brainstorm a better way to find a co-founder?

#36

Post by mhuffman » Sun, Jun 07, 2015, 5:11 PM UTC

notduncansmith wrote: post #30

jasode wrote: post #10

>For me, I want to meet a CTO. You have to realize that it's harder for a "business" guy to attract a technical cofounder rather than for a programmer whiz to attract a business guy. It's definitely a handicap. The programmer can build something and that can jumpstart the cascade of people (including business people) to join the cause. As a non-tech person, what do you offer potential tech cofounders? If you give off…

The idea that technical people are the only ones who can build something is one of the things that drives me away from most potential business cofounders. There are plenty of tools and free online resources that within a month or so, you should have the skills to hack some kind of prototype together in a reasonable amount of time. Lack of investigation into any of those opportunities signals to me that either a) the…

Wow! Where to start with this. Have you considered that some people with a head for business just might not grok programming? And vice-versa? Even if they do, have you considered that an amateurish prototype, that looks and acts like shit, might turn off some viable early-round potential partners?

The second point is even more ridiculous. If you not only develop, but have business connections and seed money, why court a CEO? At that point you simply need a couple of investment partners to fatten out your staff and you are all done!

Every person in a company does not need to be able to do everything in that company -- and shouldn't! That is why people have different responsibilities, strengths, and weaknesses.

It is a million times better to have a well-connected and capable CEO, and a talented CTO than to have both a CEO and CTO that both are ok at business and ok at development.

Re: Ask HN: Can we brainstorm a better way to find a co-founder?

#37

Post by 88e282102ae2e5b » Sun, Jun 07, 2015, 5:12 PM UTC

Those two articles you linked to were spot on, but I don't think you really took to heart what they were saying. I'll make it explicit (and know that this comes from a place of tough love): The reason it's hard to find a technical co-founder is that you don't bring much value, if any, to a startup.

You don't have a proven track record running technical companies, because if you did, you wouldn't have this problem.

You don't have a programming background, so you won't understand the implications of your decisions on the product (basic programming won't help you here, I'm afraid, though it's a good start, and I absolutely encourage you to continue).

You can't make hiring decisions for technical staff, because you can't evaluate their skills.

Perhaps you have some great idea. But great ideas are a dime a dozen. The moment you gain any momentum, a dozen clones will pop up. Execution is what matters, and that's up to the CTO to deliver, for the most part.

A CTO could just hire you as a strategy consultant, salesperson and/or market analyst, just for a salary. You need to be able to say why you merit equity and decision-making authority if you want to be CEO. Could you answer that question if you were being totally honest with them? If you can't, perhaps you should look for work outside of the C-suite for now.

Re: Ask HN: Can we brainstorm a better way to find a co-founder?

#38

Post by 88e282102ae2e5b » Sun, Jun 07, 2015, 5:16 PM UTC

rokhayakebe wrote: post #31

shalmanese wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree. I've found in my experience it's far easier in theory for a business guy to attract a technology co-founder than the other way around. This insight isn't clear from the outside due to a) the existence of "business" guys who do no business and complain vocally and b) the existence of tech+some business guys who know enough business to get their product off the ground and then find a good business guy to ba…

Honestly, most of the things you list above make one sound like a semi-technical founder.

But that's the thing. You have to understand your business in order to lead it. It's like some people want to be CEO of a car company even though they don't have a driver's license.

Re: Ask HN: Can we brainstorm a better way to find a co-founder?

#39

Post by baristaGeek » Sun, Jun 07, 2015, 5:18 PM UTC

You just don't "search and find" for a co-founder. I think it's rather that you already know him but you don't know he will be your co-founder sometime soon.

Engage in a lot of side-projects, it doesn't matter if you are in high school, college or a full-time job. You'll know what people you like working with, but most importantly, like as a person.

Now, the question is: Once you have a group of talented and smart people which you have a background working with and who you like their personality, how do you choose just 1 or 2 of them? That's a hard question. The good thing is that you're scratching your head not because you have a potential co-founder deficit, but rather a surplus.

Re: Ask HN: Can we brainstorm a better way to find a co-founder?

#40

Post by shalmanese » Sun, Jun 07, 2015, 5:23 PM UTC

rokhayakebe wrote: post #31

shalmanese wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I disagree. I've found in my experience it's far easier in theory for a business guy to attract a technology co-founder than the other way around. This insight isn't clear from the outside due to a) the existence of "business" guys who do no business and complain vocally and b) the existence of tech+some business guys who know enough business to get their product off the ground and then find a good business guy to ba…

Honestly, most of the things you list above make one sound like a semi-technical founder.

What about it sounds semi-technical? I've helped two people (a doctor and a restaurant chef) who I was the first person they've ever talked to who knew programming and I helped push them through these steps and they got pretty far. But they were people who were in the top 0.1% of something else and were thus, willing and able to be helped.