11–20 of 78 posts
Good post, but I would change the title. It's not about technical co-founders being overrated. It's about how it's a good idea to make yourself technical enough if you are a business person who wants to start a company based on a web application.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I agree. A technical co-founder with no business sense would likely be inclined to disagree with business decisions made by the CEO, thus causing friction internally and hindering productivity.
Wouldn't you think, a business co-founder with a technical co-founder would mainly stick to their strengths?
Although, I wonder if Mint might have some issues with the domain/name.
To me, the most valuable insight in this article isn't that a non-tech founder needs to get super-technical. Rather, it's that he needs to demonstrate a willingness to do everything he possibly can. That is the secret sauce. It's not about being able to talk shot for shot with a super-techy coder. It's about not being the kind of person who throws his hands up in the air and sets limits to what he can or can't do, or will or won't do. Being a successful entrepreneur means doing anything and everything it takes to get to success. And it's a serious red flag when the co-founder, from the get-go, is already broadcasting that he's setting limits for himself (such as not even attempting a prototype).
So big kudos to you for posting this. This is awesome and inspiring.
I think the article is best summarized as "Don't let the lack of a co-founder hold you back". No matter what your expertise, the farther you get with your idea on your own the more likely someone will join you. I do think the idea of "learning to code" to start something is pretty silly, just like the idea of "learning to sell" is pretty silly. Yes, you can learn them while starting a company but the process will be…
Not to mention it gives you a better understanding of the foundations of your company and might even get you some bonus points from your technical team (as long as you don't start messing around with their code).
I don't think it's about overrating or underrating, it's just that technical co-founders don't want to work with people who haven't even tried to pick up the technologies. No one can say which one is more important, technology or business, because both of them are important.
Therefore, saying that technical co-founders are overrated is a bit irrelevant. We can also say that business co-founders are overrated because technical co-founders can pick up the business skills as well?
The world needs both aspect of skills. No matter they are overrated or underrated, both kinds of co-founders need to know at least basic understanding and sense about each other's.
This is a great, concise story. To me, the most valuable insight in this article isn't that a non-tech founder needs to get super-technical. Rather, it's that he needs to demonstrate a willingness to do everything he possibly can. That is the secret sauce. It's not about being able to talk shot for shot with a super-techy coder. It's about not being the kind of person who throws his hands up in the air and sets limit…
I think the world would be a healthier place if we didn't place so much ... emphasis ... on the idea of "do whatever it takes to succeed". Just look at what Airbnb did to succeed, for example.
This is a great, concise story. To me, the most valuable insight in this article isn't that a non-tech founder needs to get super-technical. Rather, it's that he needs to demonstrate a willingness to do everything he possibly can. That is the secret sauce. It's not about being able to talk shot for shot with a super-techy coder. It's about not being the kind of person who throws his hands up in the air and sets limit…
"Being a successful entrepreneur means doing anything and everything it takes to get to success." I think the world would be a healthier place if we didn't place so much ... emphasis ... on the idea of "do whatever it takes to succeed". Just look at what Airbnb did to succeed, for example.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
"Being a successful entrepreneur means doing anything and everything it takes to get to success." I think the world would be a healthier place if we didn't place so much ... emphasis ... on the idea of "do whatever it takes to succeed". Just look at what Airbnb did to succeed, for example.
Apologies. I have been known to go hog-wild on the italics. It's an addiction I am trying to break. Some people have their exclamation marks. Others have their emoticons. I have my trigger-happy asterisks.
I'm truly serious: emphasis on "do whatever it takes to succeed" results in people doing illegal and immoral things to succeed, such as what Airbnb did.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
"Being a successful entrepreneur means doing anything and everything it takes to get to success." I think the world would be a healthier place if we didn't place so much ... emphasis ... on the idea of "do whatever it takes to succeed". Just look at what Airbnb did to succeed, for example.
Apologies. I have been known to go hog-wild on the italics. It's an addiction I am trying to break. Some people have their exclamation marks. Others have their emoticons. I have my trigger-happy asterisks.