If I were a single founder... • Hacker News Board

Re: If I were a single founder...

#11

Post by rdl » Tue, Aug 30, 2011, 8:49 PM UTC

I've seen a LOT of "single founder companies" just sort of sit around and never really make any irrevocable moves. It's easy, especially if you have other income, to just keep something at the hobby stage.

The absolute best way to prevent this is to have customers demanding your product now (or by a certain date). The next best is either to be dependent upon the startup for income, or to have other people pushing (and pulling) you forward (or pushing them, at other times). Not sure which is better.

Re: If I were a single founder...

#12

Post by jewgonewild » Tue, Aug 30, 2011, 8:49 PM UTC

foysavas wrote: post #2

Question for anyone: if you're not a single founder, how did you meet your co-founders?

I met my first co-founder in college and my second one through the local tech scene. In both cases I made sure that these were people that I could get along with before anything. Skills are picked up along the way but if you don't work well together it's going to be a painful ride.

Co-founding is like getting married, except without the sex.

Re: If I were a single founder...

#13

Post by limedaring » Tue, Aug 30, 2011, 8:52 PM UTC

dirkdeman wrote: post #10

Forgive me my ignorance, but why is it such a disadvantage having a single founder? Think about it: if the founder is a Jack of all trades, gets the product out and hires specialized staff when the startup gets revenue, why would he need a cofounder?

You get more done faster. When things suck, you have someone to cheer you on. Complimentary skillsets (hopefully) — one person can chase deals and funding while another continues to code. Encouragement.

Re: If I were a single founder...

#14

Post by foysavas » Tue, Aug 30, 2011, 8:53 PM UTC

dirkdeman wrote: post #10

Forgive me my ignorance, but why is it such a disadvantage having a single founder? Think about it: if the founder is a Jack of all trades, gets the product out and hires specialized staff when the startup gets revenue, why would he need a cofounder?

Startup founders get tired now-and-again. Knowing a co-founder is working while you're resting is a source of invaluable relief against the pressure to get things done.

Long-term, this kind of emotional stability prevents burn-out. That's important because startups don't die, founders quit.

Re: If I were a single founder...

#15

Post by jazzychad » Tue, Aug 30, 2011, 8:53 PM UTC

As someone who went through YC as a single-founder, then got a co-founder, then became a single-founder again after a year I've been on both sides of this fence. I've been meaning to write an article about this experience, and I guess this post has given me motivation to actually do it. There are so many misconceptions from both sides about the other. Hopefully I can find time in the next few weeks to write it all down. Are there any questions/topics you would want to see included in such a write-up?

Re: If I were a single founder...

#16

Post by forgingahead » Tue, Aug 30, 2011, 9:00 PM UTC

limedaring wrote: post #5

This mirrors a lot of my own feelings (being a single founder myself). I originally applied for YC for the W11 round, and I rushed to find a cofounder before applying (even wrote this for HN: http://www.limedaring.com/technical-co-founder-wanted-for-di... ) I spent a few weeks "interviewing" cofounders and working with a few, before choosing one and starting to build a product and applied (and scored an interview) fo…

Good for you! Congrats on launching and pushing ahead.

Re: If I were a single founder...

#17

Post by foysavas » Tue, Aug 30, 2011, 9:04 PM UTC

jazzychad wrote: post #15

As someone who went through YC as a single-founder, then got a co-founder, then became a single-founder again after a year I've been on both sides of this fence. I've been meaning to write an article about this experience, and I guess this post has given me motivation to actually do it. There are so many misconceptions from both sides about the other. Hopefully I can find time in the next few weeks to write it all do…

A list of misconceptions from both sides would alone pique my interest.

Re: If I were a single founder...

#18

Post by d0m » Tue, Aug 30, 2011, 9:10 PM UTC

jazzychad wrote: post #15

As someone who went through YC as a single-founder, then got a co-founder, then became a single-founder again after a year I've been on both sides of this fence. I've been meaning to write an article about this experience, and I guess this post has given me motivation to actually do it. There are so many misconceptions from both sides about the other. Hopefully I can find time in the next few weeks to write it all do…

How do you cope with self motivation? To who do you talk to when you have problems, or questions, or feel like just throw everything away to get a 100k job? To be a single founder, do you need to be as good in the marketing/business side than in software and technologies?

Re: If I were a single founder...

#19

Post by bigsassy » Tue, Aug 30, 2011, 9:16 PM UTC

jazzychad wrote: post #15

As someone who went through YC as a single-founder, then got a co-founder, then became a single-founder again after a year I've been on both sides of this fence. I've been meaning to write an article about this experience, and I guess this post has given me motivation to actually do it. There are so many misconceptions from both sides about the other. Hopefully I can find time in the next few weeks to write it all do…

Whenever I read articles railing against single founders, I usually assume the person writing the article doesn't have a meaningful amount of single-founder experience. This makes me question their reasons given to not be a single founder.

I'm sure some of these reasons should actually be carefully considered before deciding to go it alone, but I feel that many of them can be safely ignored given one's appetite for risk. After all, if you aren't willing to take chances, why are you trying your hand at a startup in the first place?

tl;dr - Of the common assertions against being a single founder, which are myth/overblown and which are serious concerns?

Re: If I were a single founder...

#20

Post by dmitri1981 » Tue, Aug 30, 2011, 9:23 PM UTC

> A lone founder never wastes time

I find it quite difficult to agree with this statement based on personal experience. For me, it is quite easy to try things to see if they work which often leads to going round in circles until a solution becomes obvious. I found that when working with other people, it is a lot easier to put ideas out there and you usually get the weak points shown to you right away. Also, having said that, I am also finding that the most of my dev activity on my current project involves stripping out functionality that simply turned out to be unnecessary or half baked. I feel that having a co-founder would be great help in avoiding some of the unnecessary work in first place.