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

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361–370 of 395 posts

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

#362

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>once in 5 years that people make over $50M from their startup. May be you are trying to make a point but this statement is clearly NOT true. It all depends on how wide the area are you talking about. Are you talking about California or Kansas or entire US ?

Why stop at the US? Doesn't the rest of the world count?

Sure it does.I am not even from the US :) But I thought 3 examples would be enough.

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

#363

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't say hiring a programmer is doing them a favor any more than an angel investor is. The benefit from this comes in him letting you pick your own project, that's the difference between rent-a-coder and this deal. It's a rent-a-coder contract with the option of leading into steady employment.

Again, you're seeing this dangerously wrong. This isn't an employment opportunity, this is a startup where one of the founders is using an interesting way to find a co-founder and the idea itself. You bring the idea, he brings the cash. He's not giving you a job, he's playing the role of seed investor and co-founder.

Okay. I guess we can agree to disagree, although I think at this point we're arguing semantics.

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

#364

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought it was Ventura Publisher vs. Aldus Pagemaker.

Ready Set Go! vs Aldus Pagemaker

Pagemaker reincarnated/replaced as InDesign.

Anyone remember Calamus? Great DTP.

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

#365
post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Isn't the $8k to build it enough to justify a 50-50 split? We're talking about ideas that would otherwise never see the light of day.

You have to question why the idea would never have seen the light of day. If it's strictly because you have a cruddy job that pays minimum wage but you are smart and capable then yeah this would be the kind of opportunity one would be able to take advantage of. If you are like many of the people here, in that we aren't making terribly low amounts of money and can save up then it's not money that's keeping you from yo…

In other news, going to college isn't for everyone.

Getting married isn't for everyone.

Working freelance isn't for everyone.

Having a kid isn't for everyone.

Nothing is for everyone, dude.

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

#366

OK, I'll put something concrete on the table to get away from the hypothetical. Here's one of my MVP's (yes folks, I am working on more than one idea at a time): http://www.tommyteaches.com/ Go on, check it out and come back. This is actually a finished product. There's nothing new to build at this stage except for additional installments of Tommy Teaches apps (additional subjects) and a few that will require slightl…

I like your idea. I've been interested in the use of machine-learning and techniques from AI to improve teaching for a while. It seemed odd to me that no one has been able to effectively apply what we've learned about machine learning to help human learning, despite having computers in the classroom for decades. Creating a system that can learn the optimal strategy to coach a student seems like a pretty well-defined problem. Khan Academy has done some very interesting work in individualized automated teaching methods.

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

#367

OK, I'll put something concrete on the table to get away from the hypothetical. Here's one of my MVP's (yes folks, I am working on more than one idea at a time): http://www.tommyteaches.com/ Go on, check it out and come back. This is actually a finished product. There's nothing new to build at this stage except for additional installments of Tommy Teaches apps (additional subjects) and a few that will require slightl…

I like your idea. I've been interested in the use of machine-learning and techniques from AI to improve teaching for a while. It seemed odd to me that no one has been able to effectively apply what we've learned about machine learning to help human learning, despite having computers in the classroom for decades. Creating a system that can learn the optimal strategy to coach a student seems like a pretty well-defined…

All I can say is that it isn't an easy problem to solve. I still don't have it right.

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

#368
Essentially you want to get lucky! :) In my opinion, the success of a start-up is determined by: 1. Co-founder chemistry (how well they know each other, shared vision etc.). With this approach, you'll have no idea what your "so-called" co-founder is like. BIG risk! 2. A vision. Not sure how you can even run a company without having a vision of what you like to do, or what problem you're going to solve. At best, you can be an investor but not a co-founder. And unless you're well networked and bring something valuable to the table, not sure 8k means a lot; and 50% equity for that is too high. 3. Execution - LOT of work. Not sure a startup is as simple as you make it sound. A prototype for 5k + customers for 3k = success? I agree the cost of building a tech. start-up has gone down significantly, but IMO it takes a lot beyond that. Unless you have advantage of owning a groundbreaking idea/IP or something with high barriers of entry it all comes down to execution. 4. The right support and network. 5. And yes, luck!

...having said that, think there is still a chance (however small it is) that it might just work and you might get lucky, but what are the odds?

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

#369
post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can I suggest that this is turning into a HN Matchmaking service Perhaps a little codification might be good: * A Maker puts their idea onto HS with "MatchMake HN: " * Any interested Investor then replies * Maker chooses Investor (possibly publically) * A month later a "Show HN" is published. I would be interested seeing everyone's results

I'm now imagining building a marketplace site roughly like eLance/oDesk/whatever else, where the investor can put money in escrow and clients (freelancers) can "bid"--but it's the freelancers who are proposing the jobs in their entirety, not the investor.

if you are the maker of http://makermatch.herokuapp.com may I say nice one - great to see spaghetti hitting walls - may it stick :-)

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

#370
post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm now imagining building a marketplace site roughly like eLance/oDesk/whatever else, where the investor can put money in escrow and clients (freelancers) can "bid"--but it's the freelancers who are proposing the jobs in their entirety, not the investor.

if you are the maker of http://makermatch.herokuapp.com may I say nice one - great to see spaghetti hitting walls - may it stick :-)

Nope -- see the comment below my own, panther2k saw it and did it. Which is exactly what I was hoping would happen when I threw the idea (rephrasing your idea) out there--I have enough startups on my plate already :)
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