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Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

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Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#61

Post by JeffBlauser »

adriand wrote: post #49

Everybody keeps telling you that you ought to leave, but that advice isn't terribly helpful, since it is obvious that you already know you need to do that. Often, many of the most difficult decisions in life are not what you should do - because deep down, you already know - but how do it. This is true for your decision right now. A few thoughts for you on that: 1. Irrevocably commit to doing it. Book a meeting with t…

Yes, face to face is best. It sounds like they aren't oppressive, so this should be possible to do the right way. As someone who has both quit jobs and had staff quit on me with varying degrees of decorum, the way you handle it determines the long term result. You may be surprised at their response. If they have any experience, they will understand it is in their best interest to end things gracefully. It may not be comfortable the first few weeks, but time heals all wounds, and you may be able to use them as a reference or connection later on down the road.

PS if they throw more $ at you, don't bite. Chances are you will quit again within 6 months. Good luck!

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#62

Post by tatsuke95 »

to_jon wrote: post #59

This may sound counter intuitive, but you have far more to lose by staying than by moving on. In fact you face a couple significant risks that increase the longer you're there. First, the founders may sense your lack of "enthusiasm" and realize that your chances of leaving are high. To protect the company's reputation from the public vote of no confidence implicit in your quitting, they may decide to take the initiat…

Good advice, less:

>"Imagine trying to explain to a hiring manager that you were fired because you planned to quit. Unfortunately, no one will believe you."

If you are a decent person who can solve problems in the real world, you don't have to worry about explaining yourself to anyone. Ever.

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#63

Post by JoeAltmaier »

adriand wrote: post #49

Everybody keeps telling you that you ought to leave, but that advice isn't terribly helpful, since it is obvious that you already know you need to do that. Often, many of the most difficult decisions in life are not what you should do - because deep down, you already know - but how do it. This is true for your decision right now. A few thoughts for you on that: 1. Irrevocably commit to doing it. Book a meeting with t…

Agreed. You can quit any job at any time, with little or no repercussion, if you do it politely and professionally. A catchall is "personal reasons prevent me from continuing at {wherever} at this time".

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#64

Post by fatalerrorx3 »

Wow. This sounds exactly like me and my situation. Exactly a year ago at the beginning of May I began working on my first startup, after doing freelance web development for several years.

The startup was founded by 2 non-tech guys, I am employee #1 (tech guy, engineer), developing everything from the ground up. The product vision is not focused enough and is causing us to go into 100 different directions. 1 of the co-founders is a doctor and the other is a business guy with some very good connections (very similar to you).

The problem is that based on consumer feedback we're constantly changing, but we're trying to encompass EVERYTHING that EVERY tester has asked for. My personal feel is that although it's nice to know exactly everything that everyone wants, attempting to do everything is an EXTREMELY BAD IDEA. The saying "Jack of all trades, master of none" comes to mind. We can't be good at everything, so let's focus on 2 or 3 things that will have the MOST IMPACT and that we can be REALLY GOOD at to get CONSUMERS HAPPY about our product. Consumers WON'T BE HAPPY with 100 features that work HALF ASSED. This has been what I've been trying to explain for a long time now.

Over the course of the year, we've had a graphic designer who was with us for several months but couldn't handle it anymore so he left. Prior to me they had 2 other people; a programmer and a designer, and both of them have since left. The reason is clearly the lack of focus on what really matters.

The problem is that I am being paid a decent salary, and although I have some equity in the company, I feel like I don't really have much of a say (I have tried voicing my opinions but they've often gone ignored). I usually can't get a word in edge-wise anyhow even if I wanted to

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#65

Post by loahou04 »

adriand wrote: post #49

Everybody keeps telling you that you ought to leave, but that advice isn't terribly helpful, since it is obvious that you already know you need to do that. Often, many of the most difficult decisions in life are not what you should do - because deep down, you already know - but how do it. This is true for your decision right now. A few thoughts for you on that: 1. Irrevocably commit to doing it. Book a meeting with t…

agreed. In the end its just a business decision. If their really people who you want to stay in touch with then they will understand your decision

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#66

Post by fatalerrorx3 »

michaelochurch wrote: post #56

I am not the first and probably won't be the last to say: you should probably leave. Find another job, and leave this one. What does "well connected" mean? If they were really well-connected, you'd probably have funding... and VCs with an active interest in getting users for the product. Well-connected means that VCs who don't fund you will mentor you until you are fundable. It means that you can get TechCrunch cover…

It's funny that you mention "well connected idea guys" not letting a programmer sit in on investor meetings. I actually surprisingly was invited to the last investor meeting that the startup that I work for was involved in. All 3 of us sat there, and I have a feeling the reason why I was invited is because I'm the stereotypical "programmer" in how I dress, I have a slight beard, sort of unkempt. My guess is that they figure the chances of getting funded are better with me there, than with me not there.

The investor kindly pointed out some very important facts about how our registration process and our product that I had very much agreed with him on and had voiced these concerns and opinions PRIOR to the meeting and they were ignored. The registration process on our site takes about 3-4 minutes before a user can get into the app, and I had been saying all along that no user in their right mind is going to wait that long, the investor 100% was on the ball with this one, the product guy did not agree, based on our tester feedback this supposedly wasn't an issue (all testers are in some way connected to the co-founders though, relatives + friends). When was the last time the user knew what they wanted though? Sometimes you need to know what's best for your users and making them wait 4 minutes for a product when they're not sure what it does, is definitely a lesson in futility. Me being involved in web development since I was in middle school, I knew 100% the investor was going to bring that up and I'm glad he did, but we've still continued to ignore that sentiment which I believe is a mistake

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#67

Post by fatalerrorx3 »

wilfra wrote: post #28

If it were 2004 maybe this would require some thought. In 2012 it requires none at all. Start putting out some feelers for jobs. Take some interviews. When you've got an offer that looks more promising, give them an amount of notice that shows you care about them and cut your losses. Offer to help with the transition to contractors or whatever they want to do next. You'll be able to save the relationships if you rema…

->And next time you agree to be a technical co-founder (which is what you are here), be sure you team up with people who give you an equal say in the decision making process - not people who view you as an order taker.

Well put.

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#68

Post by raverbashing »

adriand wrote: post #49

Everybody keeps telling you that you ought to leave, but that advice isn't terribly helpful, since it is obvious that you already know you need to do that. Often, many of the most difficult decisions in life are not what you should do - because deep down, you already know - but how do it. This is true for your decision right now. A few thoughts for you on that: 1. Irrevocably commit to doing it. Book a meeting with t…

I think there should be a step 0

0. Get your CV out there

So you can start some leads and if they ask for some weeks notice, you'll have something going (at least some leads) when you're no longer there

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#69

Post by [deleted] »

loceng wrote: post #55
tferris wrote: post #9

Move on. Quick. Three non-tech founders, after 1yr no funding, patenting in early stage ... you are wasting time. Don't worry about the personal relationship. Just stay polite, try to reason your leave, why you have to move on and that you stay available for smaller Q&A. They will try to convince you to stay and to sell the big dream (that's their job) and maybe subtly pressure you by not liking you anymore. But that…

Time/money. Getting patents early on is a large waste of resources, and then really causes your path to be fixed (re: "keep trying to implement that technology in products although it doesn't really solve anything").

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: losing faith in the startup where I'm employee #1

#70

Post by GoodIntentions »

adriand wrote: post #49

Everybody keeps telling you that you ought to leave, but that advice isn't terribly helpful, since it is obvious that you already know you need to do that. Often, many of the most difficult decisions in life are not what you should do - because deep down, you already know - but how do it. This is true for your decision right now. A few thoughts for you on that: 1. Irrevocably commit to doing it. Book a meeting with t…

>> "I'm much more interested in working on this kind of technology/product/etc. and I want to go pursue my dream."

IMHO, this has some chance of hurting OP, depending on how similar the "new direction" is, how litigious they are and how successful OP is in what he does next.

I'd stick to "personal reasons" or none at all.

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