Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

251–260 of 395 posts

Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP

#251

Post by ricardobeat »

vik1211 wrote: post #190

I 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 te…

You should add your e-mail to your profile - it must be in the "about" field for everyone to see it.

I happen to be sitting on a project that bridges online and offline, we applied for the last YC batch but didn't make it. Will send more info as soon as I'm able to :)

Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP

#252

Post by ZoFreX »

IgorPartola wrote: post #247

FWIW, I have a story of a better proposition. I currently do a lot of subcontract work for a consulting company. These guys have been around for a while, but to gain more exposure, so they have been wanting to publish some Open Source stuff. I've been working, on and off, on an interesting (to me, at least) project that I was planning to release under a BSD license and if it gains traction, turn it into a business. W…

> This is strictly a better offer than the OP's

Is it available to everyone, though?

Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP

#253

Post by saym »

orionblastar wrote: post #244
btilly wrote: post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually it is $8000 for 50% difference because it isn't just the initial $5000, you also would have to pay $3000 for marketing. And if the OP knows more about how to market than you do, you'd actually need to spend more than that to market your idea as well as the OP will.

http://www.resourcenation.com/blog/the-6-ps-of-marketing/396... I hold dual degrees in computer science and business management. I think I can do my own marketing, thank you. If not I know people who will for a small fee.

I don't understand what your tone is responding to.

Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP

#254

Post by maxk42 »

Hi hmexx. I have a counter-proposition for you: I am a talented web developer who has made others millions of dollars, but I never do the same for myself for pretty much exactly the reasons you describe. I've launched one site successfully in the past, and it was profitable to the tune of beer money, but I never really wanted to make anything more complex in part because I'm terribly vexed by business requirements. I want to build a bunch of shit and throw it at the wall to see what sticks, but I don't want to deal with the business end of things. I require no financial investment -- I only ask that you use your time, contacts and expertise to promote the business. I'd be happy to discuss this at more length. I'd be happy to discuss this offer with anyone else as well. Contact me via the info in my profile for further details.

Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP

#255

Post by scott_s »

niggler wrote: post #224
calciphus wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If someone "beats you to the punch" then they would have beat you anyway. If you have an idea that's so simple that it can be easily replicated from a signup / info page, it probably wouldn't last.

First mover advantage. In the time it takes for you to do market research, others may already have a leg-up in starting something which may converge to your idea before you launch. And having that initial traction may completely squelch your launch

I'm skeptical that "first mover advantage" is very important. There are many examples of products and services that were not first, but became the best and won.

Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP

#256

Post by btilly »

orionblastar wrote: post #244
btilly wrote: post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually it is $8000 for 50% difference because it isn't just the initial $5000, you also would have to pay $3000 for marketing. And if the OP knows more about how to market than you do, you'd actually need to spend more than that to market your idea as well as the OP will.

http://www.resourcenation.com/blog/the-6-ps-of-marketing/396... I hold dual degrees in computer science and business management. I think I can do my own marketing, thank you. If not I know people who will for a small fee.

I said "if" for a reason, because this is addressed to a broad audience with different skill sets.

For the record the reason why I made that point is that I would personally value that $3k at higher than $3k because I do not have marketing experience. And yes, there are lots of people who will take a fee to market for me - but I'm not in a particularly good position to know whether I'm getting a good one.

Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP

#257

Post by IgorPartola »

ZoFreX wrote: post #252
IgorPartola wrote: post #247

FWIW, I have a story of a better proposition. I currently do a lot of subcontract work for a consulting company. These guys have been around for a while, but to gain more exposure, so they have been wanting to publish some Open Source stuff. I've been working, on and off, on an interesting (to me, at least) project that I was planning to release under a BSD license and if it gains traction, turn it into a business. W…

> This is strictly a better offer than the OP's Is it available to everyone, though?

Yes, anyone will be able to use the project for free and modify the code under a BSD license. Thus anyone can build a business off it if they choose. That is the risk I am taking. It is mitigated by the fact that the firm I am working with and I will be the ones most familiar with the code and free usage of this project will simply validate the idea.

Edit: or do you mean the offer? If so, then no, currently just to me. Though if others could negotiate similar terms.

Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP

#258

Post by orionblastar »

niggler wrote: post #224
calciphus wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If someone "beats you to the punch" then they would have beat you anyway. If you have an idea that's so simple that it can be easily replicated from a signup / info page, it probably wouldn't last.

First mover advantage. In the time it takes for you to do market research, others may already have a leg-up in starting something which may converge to your idea before you launch. And having that initial traction may completely squelch your launch

Hah hah, yeah that really worked for Lycos and Excite being a web search engine site before Google. It also really worked for Friendster and Myspace being a social network site before Facebook. It really worked great for Qualcom having a PalmOS based smart phone and RIM with the Blackberry smartphone and Microsoft's Windows CE smart phones before Apple's iPhone and Google's Android came out?

First mover advantage, sometimes you show the Johnny-come-latelys all the mistakes they can avoid, and how they can improve upon your product by examining your weaknesses and flaws because you rushed it to market.

If you are a first mover, consider having in your business plan what you do when the 'heavy hitters' decide to copy your product and do it better. They most likely will so plan on it. Do a total quality management on your product and improve on it every chance you get before the copycats do it better.

Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP

#259

Post by calgaryeng »

vik1211 wrote: post #190

I 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 te…

Give me a shout here: http://brandonparsons.me/contact/

Re: Proposition HN: I will pay $8000 for you to build your side-project/MVP

#260

Post by brandoncapecci »

saym wrote: post #253
orionblastar wrote: post #244

Earlier quoted context omitted.

http://www.resourcenation.com/blog/the-6-ps-of-marketing/396... I hold dual degrees in computer science and business management. I think I can do my own marketing, thank you. If not I know people who will for a small fee.

I don't understand what your tone is responding to.

I think he's implying that marketing isn't much of a skill - that competent people with a good product should market themselves. I've heard this from engineers before though can't say I know enough about the intricacies of marketing to weigh in.
Post reply on HN