Why I'll be a solo founder next time • Hacker News Board

Re: Why I'll be a solo founder next time

#121

Post by jsemrau » Mon, Aug 05, 2013, 9:32 PM UTC

w0rd-driven wrote: post #81

kposehn wrote: post #28

> In particular, don’t found a startup with people that ... have newborn kids As a startup founder with a newborn (well, 14-month-old) I would say that this shouldn't be a global condition. There are plenty like me that I know who can put forth their full commitment - because we have supportive spouses that are completely on board with our entrepreneurial ambitions.

I'll agree and raise another important point: With enough money, almost nothing is a barrier. I wouldn't found a startup with no income and looking to leverage that success early or your family will starve. If you have an adequate enough padding though, and yes a supportive family, you can easily be solo.

As a father and sole-founder I would most certainly agree and say that a family helps you focus and re-balance while lack of money is putting pressure on both. So bottom-line lack of money is a bigger problem than having a family (which should not be a problem at all)

Re: Why I'll be a solo founder next time

#122

Post by ryen » Mon, Aug 05, 2013, 9:33 PM UTC

goodcanadian wrote: post #109

ChuckMcM wrote: post #66

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I suspect this is a key insight. There is a colloquialism for a company of people all trying to be 'the boss' called "Too many Chiefs, not enough Indians" (in reference to the tribal organization of Native American tribes, where in fact there was exactly one Chief who was the final arbiter) but another spin on this is "Too many Medicine men, not enough Indians." The "fantasy" life of a startup founder is that they se…

I generally prefer "Too many cooks; not enough dishwashers," or some variation on that theme.

How about "too many chefs, not enough cooks"

Re: Why I'll be a solo founder next time

#123

Post by LekkoscPiwa » Mon, Aug 05, 2013, 9:46 PM UTC

psycr wrote: post #92

LekkoscPiwa wrote: post #85

Earlier quoted context omitted.

omg, secret political correctness police, please go away!

Whiddershins' comment has nothing to do with political correctness, but rather with actual historical correctness. The comment is polite, sincere, and provides a further source of information for those who seek it.

sure it is.

Re: Why I'll be a solo founder next time

#124

Post by m0skit0 » Mon, Aug 05, 2013, 10:02 PM UTC

Yes, like most successful software companies were built by one man: Microsoft, Apple, Google... oh wait...

Re: Why I'll be a solo founder next time

#125

Post by j45 » Mon, Aug 05, 2013, 10:29 PM UTC

regal wrote: post #54

hnal943 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Almost all of these things apply to marriage as well, minus the bits about exit strategy. If you think committing to the same direction for 2-3 years is difficult, it's not time to get married yet!

Very often, the marriages where partners never considered nor discussed potential exit strategies should things not work out are the very same ones that, just like with the business partnerships where this is neglected, end up taking messy detours through the legal system on the way out.

I'm getting married soon, for me the right partnership is we're down for whatever comes up.. together.

Re: Why I'll be a solo founder next time

#126

Post by auvrw » Mon, Aug 05, 2013, 10:29 PM UTC

ChuckMcM wrote: post #66

regal wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll chime in here and say that reading this article sounded exactly like reading about my own 3 previous (failed) partnerships. My sole successful venture has been solo all along (not including employees), and has outlasted the rises and falls of the other businesses (during the amateur entrepreneur "too many fingers in too many pies" phase). I don't think I'd do a partnership again. But maybe I just don't play well…

I suspect this is a key insight. There is a colloquialism for a company of people all trying to be 'the boss' called "Too many Chiefs, not enough Indians" (in reference to the tribal organization of Native American tribes, where in fact there was exactly one Chief who was the final arbiter) but another spin on this is "Too many Medicine men, not enough Indians." The "fantasy" life of a startup founder is that they se…

"Folks who are visionary in their thinking but can't break that down into actionable steps toward that vision, and then break those steps into problem assignments, aren't really going to be an asset for your startup until you already have a product and a revenue stream."

silent weeping

Re: Why I'll be a solo founder next time

#127

Post by j45 » Mon, Aug 05, 2013, 10:32 PM UTC

steveklabnik wrote: post #31

hnal943 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Almost all of these things apply to marriage as well, minus the bits about exit strategy. If you think committing to the same direction for 2-3 years is difficult, it's not time to get married yet!

A couple doesn't need to have the _same_ direction, they just need to have compatible ones. For example, a programmer married to a doctor. They have two different directions, but if the only real compatibility requirement is that they live in the same city, then seems fine.

A couple absolutely needs the core directions to be similar. If what was meant is just professions, professions too, ultimately have to be compatible in a way that works for the couple.

Sometimes one career influences the ability for the other to exist. Sometimes both parties want to be location independent. Sometimes both careers are going strong and no one wants to give up or miss an opportunity.

Being in a long term long distance relationship for over 5 years at least in my one situation has drilled home: direction is relevant and important.

Having too many friends who are doctors and programmers:

- Having a incompatible schedule starts out as a small thing

- Small things become big things

- Big things become distance creators, emotionally, mentally, and then physically

- Then we wonder how we got here.

Hope I didn't add to the confusion from other comments.

Re: Why I'll be a solo founder next time

#128

Post by barce » Mon, Aug 05, 2013, 10:32 PM UTC

"In particular, don’t found a startup with people that are busy with school, have personal issues, are traveling, or are working a full-time job." I'd like to know if there is anybody without personal issues, or what the author is trying to say in this context.

Re: Why I'll be a solo founder next time

#129

Post by j45 » Mon, Aug 05, 2013, 10:33 PM UTC

jonnathanson wrote: post #108

regal wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'll chime in here and say that reading this article sounded exactly like reading about my own 3 previous (failed) partnerships. My sole successful venture has been solo all along (not including employees), and has outlasted the rises and falls of the other businesses (during the amateur entrepreneur "too many fingers in too many pies" phase). I don't think I'd do a partnership again. But maybe I just don't play well…

Generally speaking, it's very hard to convince the right person to co-found a startup. It's comparatively easy to convince the right-for-now person to join on a noncommittal basis. It's not easy to patiently and persistently search for the former, when the latter is so much quicker to come by. I failed at founding a startup under similar circumstances. This was back in school, on the verge of graduation, when the ide…

Partnerships are about both timing, a good fit, and ability/willingness to commit.

I've had many fail where one or the other was missing.

Re: Why I'll be a solo founder next time

#130

Post by j45 » Mon, Aug 05, 2013, 10:35 PM UTC

6cxs2hd6 wrote: post #23

j45 wrote: post #2

A partnership is more work and harder than marriage because you have to: - get on and stay on the same page - agree on both of your live's direction and commitment to a path has to be the same for the next 2-3 years - have the ability to defer to each other in your area of competence - have to be skilled at learning and getting anything done, whether its business or tech. - know that your entry and exit goals have to…

This is a great list. Re rounding out skill set, sometimes it's possible for a solo founder to make a couple key early hires. That lets you shorten this list. Some items still apply, but many don't. Granted those folks won't have a founder level of commitment. But neither do the kind of half-hearted co-founders the OP wrote about. In fact one way to look at this is that some co-founders should be early hires, instead…

Agreed. If you can manage or cover these points some how, it's fine, but I've generally found them to be necessary in any successful project.

On a side note, sad face that another thread has been taken towards a tangent of exploring marriage instead of partnerships, maybe I shouldn't have said that :)