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

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311–320 of 395 posts

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

#311

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks for the feedback. My intent with the wordiness was to try to generate some SEO juice and see if I can bring people to the site organically. This just launched so it is too early to tell. I am going to shoot a video of the game in action and include it in the site (as well as posting it on YouTube). I will absolutely consider your input with regards to the wordiness. Maybe split some of it off into a "Tech Talk…

You need a simple narrative. Example: Sally learns best by doing X, while Sam learns best by doing Y. (Show cartoon Sally doing X and cartoon Sam doing Y). Most apps will try to teach Sally and Sam the same way, but the TommyTeaches app is smarter than that! Tommy will be learning as he teaches. Tommy will learn which techniques are best for Sally and Sam individually, then tailor the lessons to... etc.

Ah, got it. That is a different approach. It's about highlighting benefits rather than talking about features. Thanks.

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

#312
Love this idea, really looking forward to learning about your results. I would recommend that in Version 1.1 you clarify the legal ownership & indemnification terms.

$5k to build, with payment upon MVP completion... spend an additional $3k, including costs to establish a legal entity with joint ownership and friendly buy-out terms...

Good luck!

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

#313
post #3

Pre-emptive FAQ: Isn't this a horrible deal? Incubators typically inject more money for far less equity! I earn $10K a month, I could easily save up $8K in a few months, and do this myself for 100% equity. True. If you can get into YCombinator, for example , you should obviously go for it. I can't compete with that. If you're earning $150K+, or you've already been working on your side-project for a year, this may not…

If interested, drop me a line at hnproject2013@gmail.com If you have questions or HN-style critic on the structure/proposition, write below and help me build proposition version 1.1!

I would recommend that in Version 1.1 you clarify the legal ownership & indemnification terms.

$5k to build, with payment upon MVP completion... spend an additional $3k, including costs to establish a legal entity with joint ownership with no worse than a 50/50 split and friendly buy-out terms...

Good luck!

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

#314

wow has NOBODY considered the idea that this guy is just harvesting your ideas? who knows how sincere the offer is. phishing 101

Ideas aren't as sacred as you'd think. It's the execution of them that generates revenue.

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

#315
post #9
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

US resident only / Europe / rest of the world ? Payment terms ? (upfront / milestones / finished) Future company as a delaware C/S-corp ?

Still need to iron out the details but... World. Upfront will be small (possibly nil) to prevent time-wasters. We can agree milestones based on nature of project. Once code is flowing onto a shared repository for a couple days, I'll feel comfortable starting the money drip. C/S corp in Delaware sounds reasonable. A yet to be drafted, founder's agreement to be signed at project start also to protect both parties.

World, great... i have been having this idea running through my head for some time, but need to iron it out a little and do some research .. Am on a 3-6 month project here, will contact you after.

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

#316
I think that in 2013 is more important how you build it than what you build. The implementation become more important than the idea, so the ideas are overestimated.

Things that can actually succeed:

* A payable gmail alternative.

* A payable mail list (I think 37 signas was working in to that).

* A payable online book designer like (write in markdown and have a professinal like pdf output, epub, mobi...).

* Online radios. There are a lot of labels that want to promote their new records, and a lot of music lovers that want to have their online radio.

* A payable service that evaluates and give you reports about your internet connection.

* Humble bundle as a service.

* [1 thousand more]

So... ideas there are a lot. Problem is decide which one to build or improve. There are for sure companies that do already all the previous examples, but small changes can become totally different products. The good products have people with good criteria behind. What i mean is that instead of looking for someone with good idea, is better to look for someone with good criteria.

On any case, thanks for the initiative.

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

#317

This discussion is awesome! I would never have believed such a simple conjecture could provide so much illumination around the myths and realities of startups. First, its a great deal, both for hmexx and folks who take him up on it. Frankly I think it could be revolutionary. My reasoning is as follows; Many "products" over the last couple of years have been fairly straight forward web "apps" built on top of existing…

The downside of the book publisher model is that the publishing firms and associated agents are perceived as gatekeepers in the industry.

Unpublished authors talk about the one big break they need to be a success, and all that is standing between them and success is convincing a publishing company of their merits. The same applies in film making - it is the small guy currently waiting tables up against 'the man', who is holding them back from being a successful movie star and actor.

We don't have that in the entrepreneurial community, at least not to that extent. Without the perception of gatekeepers entrepreneurs know that the reward correlates to the work you put in.

I like the funding ideas that don't propagate the story that all you need to be a successful entrepreneur is to convince somebody to give you money.

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

#319
I will not trust in someone to develop a product, that can not save 8000$ in one year and get 100% of the business.

a) That guy is not able to save such money = Doesn't have real interest in the product. b) That guy is willing to share 50% the company, so probably doesn't trust on the idea as much as he/she can say. c) If that guy doesn't have the money, and can't get the money, is because is probably not good enough to develop such product.

So if you want to pay as little at 8000 I really hope you where meaning it is not in America or Europe and it is in another country, where the base salary is lower than 500$.

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

#320
post #308

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You could also find a niche market that has little to no competition and develop to that. I remember when the Desktop Publishing market was new, and the Commodore Amiga had Deluxe Paint and a few third part desktop publishing apps in 1985. Then later in Adobe made Photoshop in 1989 for the Macintosh that copied the ideas of desktop publishing software on the Amiga. Not only that but Newtek had a Video Toaster and Vid…

"I remember when the Desktop Publishing market was new" So do I. Remember Pagemaker vs. Quark Express?

I thought it was Ventura Publisher vs. Aldus Pagemaker.
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