5 things I knew (or should have) before my startup, but didn't learn until now
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Re: 5 things I knew (or should have) before my startup, but didn't learn until now
#2Does anyone else who quit their job and went fulltime into their startup want to add anything about their experience? Did it make you a lot more productive? Were you worried about paying the bills? How were you able to stay on track? Where did you find the motivation? How did you stay sane and not go crazy?
Re: 5 things I knew (or should have) before my startup, but didn't learn until now
#3Interesting, i'm a technical sole founder who is very capable of doing EVERYTHING, though i would be much more efficient if i could compartmentalize. I'm constantly on the lookout for my "otherhalf" but can't quite find any non-technicals that seem up-to-snuff any tips on what to look for in a non-technical co-founder?
Nobody in the world has Bill’s exact skill set, and looking back on it, that skill set is exactly what we needed
What skill set should I look for?
Re: 5 things I knew (or should have) before my startup, but didn't learn until now
#4+1 about how hard it is. No wonder people stay in jobs, the stress and uncertainty is mind-numbing.
Re: 5 things I knew (or should have) before my startup, but didn't learn until now
#5Does anyone else who quit their job and went fulltime into their startup want to add anything about their experience? Did it make you a lot more productive? Were you worried about paying the bills? How were you able to stay on track? Where did you find the motivation? How did you stay sane and not go crazy?
I'm very interested in anyones opinions on this topic as well
Re: 5 things I knew (or should have) before my startup, but didn't learn until now
#6Interesting, i'm a technical sole founder who is very capable of doing EVERYTHING, though i would be much more efficient if i could compartmentalize. I'm constantly on the lookout for my "otherhalf" but can't quite find any non-technicals that seem up-to-snuff any tips on what to look for in a non-technical co-founder? Nobody in the world has Bill’s exact skill set, and looking back on it, that skill set is exactly w…
How business savvy are you? As a single founder, you might be better off with a hybrid co-founder who can code and do business stuff too.
Like sales - the ability to sell is probably the most important non-technical skill for a startup founder. Startups need to sell all the time - to customers, partners, investors, journalists, etc. It doesn't hurt to have 2+ founders who can sell.
Re: 5 things I knew (or should have) before my startup, but didn't learn until now
#7Interesting, i'm a technical sole founder who is very capable of doing EVERYTHING, though i would be much more efficient if i could compartmentalize. I'm constantly on the lookout for my "otherhalf" but can't quite find any non-technicals that seem up-to-snuff any tips on what to look for in a non-technical co-founder? Nobody in the world has Bill’s exact skill set, and looking back on it, that skill set is exactly w…
I was once preparing to be the ultimate non-technical cofounder. Then disaster struck my life, and then I learned to program. In any case, here was the skill set I wanted:
- Has tried a startup before and failed because he didn't have enough tech talent (check)
- Exposed to I.P. law at Stanford Law School (as undergrad)
- Experience cold-calling alumni for donations (for selling) (check)
- Studied economics (check), game theory
- Deep knowledge of fundraising process
- Design, typography, statistics, etc.
Re: 5 things I knew (or should have) before my startup, but didn't learn until now
#8Interesting, i'm a technical sole founder who is very capable of doing EVERYTHING, though i would be much more efficient if i could compartmentalize. I'm constantly on the lookout for my "otherhalf" but can't quite find any non-technicals that seem up-to-snuff any tips on what to look for in a non-technical co-founder? Nobody in the world has Bill’s exact skill set, and looking back on it, that skill set is exactly w…
Just a few qualities:
You want someone with passion. They should have a skin thick enough that they don't take rejection to heart, but thin enough that 'hear' those who would offer them constructive feedback. They need to be able to concisely articulate your vision to customers of all applicable types (investors, retail, industry), and deduce your next course of action (pivot) from many disparate and incomplete data points.
As for skills, these should complement your own such that the whole is significantly greater than the sum of its parts, and that the whole is just about right for the task at hand. Sorry to be so wishy-washy, but it really is one of those case by case things.
Re: 5 things I knew (or should have) before my startup, but didn't learn until now
#9Does anyone else who quit their job and went fulltime into their startup want to add anything about their experience? Did it make you a lot more productive? Were you worried about paying the bills? How were you able to stay on track? Where did you find the motivation? How did you stay sane and not go crazy?
It is extremely helpful. I'd say hour-for-hour, my team is twice as productive working full-time on a startup than doing it on the side. We're more focused, more resourceful, and when we aren't working, our subconscious is spinning on this particular problem, not our day jobs or other projects. Combine that with the fact that our startup gets more hours than it did when it was a side project, and that's a major increase in productivity.
You also need to be able to pay the bills, so save up or raise some money. Friends and family money is good here, because raising from professional investors is usually a full-time job in itself. Or you can consult at a high rate and use the margin to fund a startup. We did this for a few years, which was fine - it was our only option, really - but full-time work is so much better.
The good news: you'll be more motivated, since you see the dwindling bank account balance. You know that you need to move things along quickly so you can pay the bills.
Re: 5 things I knew (or should have) before my startup, but didn't learn until now
#10Interesting, i'm a technical sole founder who is very capable of doing EVERYTHING, though i would be much more efficient if i could compartmentalize. I'm constantly on the lookout for my "otherhalf" but can't quite find any non-technicals that seem up-to-snuff any tips on what to look for in a non-technical co-founder? Nobody in the world has Bill’s exact skill set, and looking back on it, that skill set is exactly w…
I think it is important to find a cofounder who you truly respect. besides a few specific skills, the skill set is almost irrelevant since you learn so much on the fly