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Should have hired a tech co-founder

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Re: Should have hired a tech co-founder

#3

Post by hga »

That he thinks of "hiring" a "co-founder" is perhaps telling.

ADDED: On the flip side, us techies shouldn't co-found a company unless we're willing to pitch in when "[...] we found sales in other channels that required late nights of packaging (and lots of manly muscles)" (or, I'd add, womanly muscles, women have their place in this sort of work too). As I like to say, "You shouldn't be too proud to sweep a floor."

Re: Should have hired a tech co-founder

#4

Post by jonathanjaeger »

hga wrote: post #3

That he thinks of "hiring" a "co-founder" is perhaps telling. ADDED: On the flip side, us techies shouldn't co-found a company unless we're willing to pitch in when " [...] we found sales in other channels that required late nights of packaging (and lots of manly muscles) " (or, I'd add, womanly muscles, women have their place in this sort of work too). As I like to say, "You shouldn't be too proud to sweep a floor."

If he has the money to hire someone on a trial basis to test out the relationship before jumping into the whole commitment/be my technical co-founder deal, then yes, I think it makes sense. I'm sure there are many potential technical cofounders who would rather than just simply work for free without even knowing what they're getting themselves into, considering the company seems like it's already going.

Re: Should have hired a tech co-founder

#7

Post by makerops »

hga wrote: post #3

That he thinks of "hiring" a "co-founder" is perhaps telling. ADDED: On the flip side, us techies shouldn't co-found a company unless we're willing to pitch in when " [...] we found sales in other channels that required late nights of packaging (and lots of manly muscles) " (or, I'd add, womanly muscles, women have their place in this sort of work too). As I like to say, "You shouldn't be too proud to sweep a floor."

I'd add that if you don't enjoy the cathartic release of sweeping the floor of your business, you probably shouldn't be running one, or aren't working hard enough.

Re: Should have hired a tech co-founder

#8

Post by argyle35 »

hga wrote: post #3

That he thinks of "hiring" a "co-founder" is perhaps telling. ADDED: On the flip side, us techies shouldn't co-found a company unless we're willing to pitch in when " [...] we found sales in other channels that required late nights of packaging (and lots of manly muscles) " (or, I'd add, womanly muscles, women have their place in this sort of work too). As I like to say, "You shouldn't be too proud to sweep a floor."

Fair point :)

I didn't co-found with a technical person. Would have had to bring someone on later, and then retroactively called them a co-founder (which I would have been fine with, titles are for ...). I think it's just about hiring a technical lead / peer early-on.

OH, and yeah, I don't have real muscles. One of my early teammates, a woman Liz who flew a rescue-vac helicopter in the Army, that's someone with muscles and heart.

Appreciate you taking the time to comment.

Re: Should have hired a tech co-founder

#10

Post by Bluestrike2 »

hga wrote: post #3

That he thinks of "hiring" a "co-founder" is perhaps telling. ADDED: On the flip side, us techies shouldn't co-found a company unless we're willing to pitch in when " [...] we found sales in other channels that required late nights of packaging (and lots of manly muscles) " (or, I'd add, womanly muscles, women have their place in this sort of work too). As I like to say, "You shouldn't be too proud to sweep a floor."

You're dead on with both points, though I think it's the second one that's just way too important to forget.

Many years ago, my grandfather started selling cemetery property and later worked his way up to the point where he was able to buy a small cemetery himself and grow a company from there slaving away with his brother. Until the day he died, he never really stopped. The company's still in the family, and I love to talk to my dad and one of my uncles in particular about some of the stories from back when.

The really impressive part (IMO), and the one you made me think of, is how they all grew up working outside in the heat and the rain and the cold and everything in maintenance. Some of the stories are really just amazing to hear, and absolutely helped them better understand every facet of the business. But when I hear them the talk, there's a fondness of those memories and the sweat that made them that's just really hard to not be a little in awe of. In some ways, I think they enjoy them more than even things like a road trip to Disneyland. It's no wonder I got to do the same thing as a teenager :D.

Anyhow, who knows, when you find yourself sweeping the floor you might just find you enjoy it more than you'd think when it's all said and done.

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