I have to say this is genius and I agree with the premise 2 totally.
Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP
181–190 of 395 posts
Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP
#182Earlier quoted context omitted.
I'd take you up on the offer, but for a couple things. Maybe it just means this isn't for me. 1 - That 50 - 50 split is a killer when I'm doing most of the work. 2 - You talk about taking a month or two and full time working on this project until completion. Trust me when I say I'd love to do that, the issue is I can't just go jump back into the same job as if I didn't ditch everyone here for two months. Like I said…
You might consider that "building the product" is not really "most of the work" here. There are three things: - Product - A Market for said product (solving a problem for a customer who has money) - Getting your Product to that Market and convincing customers you solved their problem In reality, you are probably doing about 33% of the hard stuff (and the other 66% is hard too, making sure you have the correct MVP and…
You must not have read the rest of my comments...
That said, reducing risk isn't what hmexx is doing. Since the risk of quitting your job and starting on your own product is failure to create a good enough product and NOT have a job to go back to. He's not made any warranties about you being able to resume your previous job (nor could he, or should he.)
Again, look at my other comments, where I plainly state this is not for everyone, like people who already can market and recognize an MVP. And it's best for younger people who have crummy jobs and little marketing and/or business experience, and little to lose (like a nice good current job.)
Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP
#183I am very interested in this. I believe as you do
"An MVP built by a lone, but talented techie is almost as likely to turn into something 'successful' as a startup on angellist that has: 4 founders, 9 advisors, 13 press releases, 600 followers, etc"
Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP
#184Earlier quoted context omitted.
The entire YC team can advise ~66 startups and they have ~14 people which suggests a person can advise 4-5 startups at a YC-level. It's not quite equivalent since YC has the benefit of multiple perspectives though at the cost of increased coordination. The truth of b & c are completely dependent on who hmexx is.
YC also has Yuri Milner, Andreessen Horowitz, General Catalyst, and Maverick Capital working with any company which takes a convertible note. Furthermore, those companies taking the note have a much longer runway than hmexx will provide and will be plugged in to a network of later stage investors. Finally, each YC company has access to the other companies in its class and the YC alumni...and lots of other things in t…
YC has those things now. At the beginning it didn't have any of these things, and a few really successful startups emerged from those early days even with YC not having guaranteed follow on funding, not having a large network of alumni and not having the reputation.
Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP
#185I have a site that I would consider selling you for $5000. In fact, I just asked HN what they thought I should do with it - http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5028846 Sadly, I didn't get any traction so not many people saw it or gave feedback.
It is a complete MVP that I do not have the time or money remaining to market. The code is all there and it is extremely portable. I have an idea or two about how to make a profit with it as well as several features you could add to make it really great.
Take a look and let me know.
Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP
#186No sane person would take a deal where 50% of the idea is owned by someone who isn't doing anything. Your idea has a very serious flaw - why should someone who put 5000$ get 50% of the idea, and he has nothing to contribute to it.
Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP
#187This idea is retarded. You'll build an mvp, and buy a few users, but you won't be building a business.
A business is more than a one time mvp and a sales person.
You'll need constant improvements / tweaks / changes, an ongoing marketing effort, new feature releases, new leads and sales, etc, which probably won't be accomplished by a static mvp and a single person.
Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP
#188i'd be curious to see what kind of interested this generated, and how many product ideas you considered to be worthy of your 5k investment.
Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP
#189I can't wait to see the Show HN for this 2-3 months later. And if the cofounders are willing, I would love to see a retrospective/post-mortem a year from now.
Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP
#190I like this idea so much that I'm willing to join hmexx and e21 by matching the offer for the right idea.
Further, the right idea/individual would get my full, undivided attention, resources, and limitless brainstorming/pivoting sessions.
I'm also a fan of the idea of documenting the process and milestones on hn for the benefit of future teams or projects.
My background is in law and business and I'm interested in technologies that bridge offline and online domains. I'm a daily reader of hn but a new poster.
hmexx -- thanks for stepping up and encouraging more of us to do so.