7 ms·

Starting your first company

103 points by Concours 16y ago

edw519 16y ago
These are all good suggestions, but they are all in addition to, not at the expense of building a great product, which is a necessary, but not sufficient condition. For example, last night I had a choice between a networking event and some critical work on my software. The work won, as it should. I look forward to the time when I won't have to make so many tough decisions about how to spend my time. Until that time comes, work on the product comes first.
- alain94040 16y ago
  You had a choice and you picked coding rather than go out. Once, it's fine. The problem, with the many developer friends I have, is that very quickly they settle in a routine of never going to events, because there is always one more line of code to write. That's where you need discipline. As I wrote a year ago, if you never go to events, set your goal to two events a month. If you go to two per month, set your goal to once a week. That should be enough. You can read the long version at http://blog.fairsoftware.net/2009/07/09/good-programmers-dont-need-no-marketing/ http://blog.fairsoftware.net/2009/07/09/good-programmers-don..., in the "Four Step Recovery Program" section.
- steveklabnik 16y ago
  Yeah, but then you missed my talk. ;)
MJR 16y ago
if you don't code, don't try to teach yourself and code for your startup. partner with someone who is great at it. programming is an art & science and takes years to get good at. Completely agree. I dislike reading articles that insist if you have an idea you can just pick up programming, design or development and build it yourself. That may be true in the strict sense of having something simple to explain your idea, but it pales in comparison to the work that can be created by someone who has talent and years of experience. Also, its going to be throw away work. If your idea has is worthwhile and gains traction then you're going to need to have someone rebuild everything you've done anyway. Why waste that time? Partner with someone who can execute the product from day one.
- europa 16y ago
  I think it is worth coding the working mvp , even though you know that it is going to be re-done if you take off. This will help one to demonstrate his seriousness and something visual to show when he/she pitches to developer/co-founder instead of pitching a random idea.
  - MJR 16y ago
    But clearly this isn't your forte, so why not find someone who can focus on that area. That leaves you to manage product development, vision and to test the work that's been done to create a product. I'm just not of the mindset that doing something twice is the right way to go. Especially when speed is a factor.
  - candre717 16y ago
    Exactly. Developers have their pick of non-technical co-founders. It's a lot harder to approach someone with just "an idea." What are you offering in return? How do you contribute to a startup in those initial months? Sure, I've read plenty of posts on what non-technical co-founders can do in a startup - lots! But, it pales in comparison to the bread and butter of a startup: building a product. If you're looking to build the next Google or Wolfram Mathematica, find an expert or 2. The guys at SeatGeek built their initial product - a crude prototype but decent enough to promote at TechCrunch. Now, they're funded and growing. They were not programmers, but they needed something and they didn't have the resources to find someone to build it. Coding is a bottleneck for a lot of non-technical folks. Do what you got to do to get through it, scotch tape and all.
- davidedicillo 16y ago
  I agree and disagree. I'm not a developer, and I know that it's not worth for me at the time trying to become a good developers, that's why I try to hire great developers or partner with them. But at the same time, I wanted (and I did) learn the basics of PHP first and Ruby/RoR later, not because I plan to build things on my own, but because even if you just collaborate with developers (I'm a designer/front-end guy), it's really important to understand the technology and the logic behind it. Sure, to drive a car you don't need to know how the engine works, but if you do, you'll immediately know when something is wrong so that you can take it to shop to get it checked.
csomar 16y ago
He stress on Networking. I know networking is useful, but most of the time I find it a waste of time. You can simply find a problem, figure out a solution and build it with a partner. Then charge for it, either online (SaaS) or offline (uISV). Use Google Adwords to target your audience and keep at it if you are profitable. No Blogging, Twittering, reading Tech Blogs or all that crap. Just focus on your product and give value to your customers.
- astrofinch 16y ago
  There's some selection bias here: we're reading this guy's blog not because he's successful with startups, but because he's successful with startups and concentrates on maintaining an online presence, networking, etc.
gordonc 16y ago
When did "startup" become synonymous with social internet site that will take years to make any money? I know I'm on HN; my point is that there are startups in all kinds of fucking fields for which this advice is absolutely useless. That said, not enough CEOs/product people have an understanding of programming and what it means for business.
- Chew412 16y ago
  I totally agree. These suggestions seemed to work for this guy in his scenario. This maybe will apply to someone else, but these shouldn't be steps for you to start your own business. I'm part owner of a landscaping company and hardly any of these apply.
whatrocks 16y ago
Any advice on health insurance / benefits when bootstrapping? At what point should you start thinking about benefits plan for your team?
- sewerhorse 16y ago
  When you can afford it, or when you're having a hard time to hire people without it.
travisp 16y ago
hire a good startup law firm (i like gunderson) and get standardized incorporation, vesting etc docs. it's worth it. (but try to only pay $5K or so with promise to pay more later when you get funding etc). Should this really cost $5K+ or more to get standardized docs? It should be possible to get high quality legal documentation necessary for starting your company for a fair amount less, but maybe I'm wrong. Do others here have experience on this?
- johnrob 16y ago
  Great question. That 5K will seem cheap when the lawyer you work with starts introducing you to angel investors. The valley is ALL about connections. Everybody here is a full time network-er. The job title, such as 'Lawyer', is just something that goes on a business card ;)
  - vaksel 16y ago
    chances are that the person doing your incorporation will be some poor paralegal with no connections, or some new lawyer fresh out of law school.
  - aristus 16y ago
    That is a very, very sad thing to say. I live in the valley as well, and I am not a full-time schmoozer. I suppose that makes me a chump in your book. Once a person's (or systems's) focus shifts to schmoozing instead of the original reason you became a lawyer, programmer, etc, it's probably too late to stop the decline. Some things can only be done with many people. Connections help. But that's quite a different thing from "I am ALL about connections". Wouldn't it be better to be ALL about your customers, or your real passion?
    - johnrob 16y ago
      Actually, it's a great thing! Since you hate schmoozing (I do too), this is good news - there are other people out there that will do some of it for you (or, more accurately, give you access to the fruits of years of schmoozing). Every investor/mentor/lawyer you add to your team means more network that you didn't have to schmooze to earn.
sz 16y ago
This might be a naive question, but is there any empirical evidence showing that blogging/tweeting actually helps your startup? Is this supposed to be for self-motivation or getting attention?
- Dylanlacey 16y ago
  All my subscribers say that it 100% does, and also First, and Boobies.
dinkumthinkum 16y ago
I question the the steady diet of TechCrunch, mashable, etc. Too some extent that is just startup masturbation. I wonder if better advice is to just not read those things for awhile and focus on your product and your potential customers.
paul9290 16y ago
I agree that i takes awhile to become a good developer, but you need teach yourself front end stuff at least. That's unless you already have a bunch of developer friends willing/wanting to be apart & turn your idea in a reality. There are so many posts here and experiences (my own) where someone is looking to create an idea but they do not have the friends or the ooomph to convince others to join him/her to build their idea or start-up. If you fall into such category go out and learn html, css & photoshop and hire a developer. It will take you longer but you'll gain a skill, have better control of your vision and most important your idea will become a reality.
modality 16y ago
Whatever happened to offering a good or service that people are willing to pay for? Is this really what makes a good business? Absorbing information from "all tech blogs everyday" so that you can regurgitate it on your blog, on your twitter, and at networking meetings? This blog post reads more like a list of instructions on how to be the prettiest girl at the startup scene dance. These ideas are fine if the people writing the blogs and mingling at networking meetings are your potential customers, but I think most of us would be better served by getting away from all of that to talk to the people outside of the echo chamber. You know, the ones with wallets that MBAs like this guy only come in contact with when they're poring over a spreadsheet.

103 points by Concours 16y ago

These are all good suggestions, but they are all in addition to, not at the expense of building a great product, which is a necessary, but not sufficient condition. For example, last night I had a choice between a networking event and some critical work on my software. The work won, as it should. I look forward to the time when I won't have to make so many tough decisions about how to spend my time. Until that time comes, work on the product comes first.

alain94040 16y ago
You had a choice and you picked coding rather than go out. Once, it's fine. The problem, with the many developer friends I have, is that very quickly they settle in a routine of never going to events, because there is always one more line of code to write. That's where you need discipline. As I wrote a year ago, if you never go to events, set your goal to two events a month. If you go to two per month, set your goal to once a week. That should be enough. You can read the long version at http://blog.fairsoftware.net/2009/07/09/good-programmers-dont-need-no-marketing/ http://blog.fairsoftware.net/2009/07/09/good-programmers-don..., in the "Four Step Recovery Program" section.
steveklabnik 16y ago
Yeah, but then you missed my talk. ;)

MJR 16y ago

if you don't code, don't try to teach yourself and code for your startup. partner with someone who is great at it. programming is an art & science and takes years to get good at. Completely agree. I dislike reading articles that insist if you have an idea you can just pick up programming, design or development and build it yourself. That may be true in the strict sense of having something simple to explain your idea, but it pales in comparison to the work that can be created by someone who has talent and years of experience. Also, its going to be throw away work. If your idea has is worthwhile and gains traction then you're going to need to have someone rebuild everything you've done anyway. Why waste that time? Partner with someone who can execute the product from day one.

europa 16y ago
I think it is worth coding the working mvp , even though you know that it is going to be re-done if you take off. This will help one to demonstrate his seriousness and something visual to show when he/she pitches to developer/co-founder instead of pitching a random idea.
- MJR 16y ago
  But clearly this isn't your forte, so why not find someone who can focus on that area. That leaves you to manage product development, vision and to test the work that's been done to create a product. I'm just not of the mindset that doing something twice is the right way to go. Especially when speed is a factor.
- candre717 16y ago
  Exactly. Developers have their pick of non-technical co-founders. It's a lot harder to approach someone with just "an idea." What are you offering in return? How do you contribute to a startup in those initial months? Sure, I've read plenty of posts on what non-technical co-founders can do in a startup - lots! But, it pales in comparison to the bread and butter of a startup: building a product. If you're looking to build the next Google or Wolfram Mathematica, find an expert or 2. The guys at SeatGeek built their initial product - a crude prototype but decent enough to promote at TechCrunch. Now, they're funded and growing. They were not programmers, but they needed something and they didn't have the resources to find someone to build it. Coding is a bottleneck for a lot of non-technical folks. Do what you got to do to get through it, scotch tape and all.
davidedicillo 16y ago
I agree and disagree. I'm not a developer, and I know that it's not worth for me at the time trying to become a good developers, that's why I try to hire great developers or partner with them. But at the same time, I wanted (and I did) learn the basics of PHP first and Ruby/RoR later, not because I plan to build things on my own, but because even if you just collaborate with developers (I'm a designer/front-end guy), it's really important to understand the technology and the logic behind it. Sure, to drive a car you don't need to know how the engine works, but if you do, you'll immediately know when something is wrong so that you can take it to shop to get it checked.

csomar 16y ago

He stress on Networking. I know networking is useful, but most of the time I find it a waste of time. You can simply find a problem, figure out a solution and build it with a partner. Then charge for it, either online (SaaS) or offline (uISV). Use Google Adwords to target your audience and keep at it if you are profitable. No Blogging, Twittering, reading Tech Blogs or all that crap. Just focus on your product and give value to your customers.

astrofinch 16y ago
There's some selection bias here: we're reading this guy's blog not because he's successful with startups, but because he's successful with startups and concentrates on maintaining an online presence, networking, etc.

gordonc 16y ago

When did "startup" become synonymous with social internet site that will take years to make any money? I know I'm on HN; my point is that there are startups in all kinds of fucking fields for which this advice is absolutely useless. That said, not enough CEOs/product people have an understanding of programming and what it means for business.

Chew412 16y ago
I totally agree. These suggestions seemed to work for this guy in his scenario. This maybe will apply to someone else, but these shouldn't be steps for you to start your own business. I'm part owner of a landscaping company and hardly any of these apply.

whatrocks 16y ago

Any advice on health insurance / benefits when bootstrapping? At what point should you start thinking about benefits plan for your team?

sewerhorse 16y ago
When you can afford it, or when you're having a hard time to hire people without it.

travisp 16y ago

hire a good startup law firm (i like gunderson) and get standardized incorporation, vesting etc docs. it's worth it. (but try to only pay $5K or so with promise to pay more later when you get funding etc). Should this really cost $5K+ or more to get standardized docs? It should be possible to get high quality legal documentation necessary for starting your company for a fair amount less, but maybe I'm wrong. Do others here have experience on this?

johnrob 16y ago
Great question. That 5K will seem cheap when the lawyer you work with starts introducing you to angel investors. The valley is ALL about connections. Everybody here is a full time network-er. The job title, such as 'Lawyer', is just something that goes on a business card ;)
- vaksel 16y ago
  chances are that the person doing your incorporation will be some poor paralegal with no connections, or some new lawyer fresh out of law school.
- aristus 16y ago
  That is a very, very sad thing to say. I live in the valley as well, and I am not a full-time schmoozer. I suppose that makes me a chump in your book. Once a person's (or systems's) focus shifts to schmoozing instead of the original reason you became a lawyer, programmer, etc, it's probably too late to stop the decline. Some things can only be done with many people. Connections help. But that's quite a different thing from "I am ALL about connections". Wouldn't it be better to be ALL about your customers, or your real passion?
  - johnrob 16y ago
    Actually, it's a great thing! Since you hate schmoozing (I do too), this is good news - there are other people out there that will do some of it for you (or, more accurately, give you access to the fruits of years of schmoozing). Every investor/mentor/lawyer you add to your team means more network that you didn't have to schmooze to earn.

sz 16y ago

This might be a naive question, but is there any empirical evidence showing that blogging/tweeting actually helps your startup? Is this supposed to be for self-motivation or getting attention?

Dylanlacey 16y ago
All my subscribers say that it 100% does, and also First, and Boobies.

dinkumthinkum 16y ago

I question the the steady diet of TechCrunch, mashable, etc. Too some extent that is just startup masturbation. I wonder if better advice is to just not read those things for awhile and focus on your product and your potential customers.

paul9290 16y ago

I agree that i takes awhile to become a good developer, but you need teach yourself front end stuff at least. That's unless you already have a bunch of developer friends willing/wanting to be apart & turn your idea in a reality. There are so many posts here and experiences (my own) where someone is looking to create an idea but they do not have the friends or the ooomph to convince others to join him/her to build their idea or start-up. If you fall into such category go out and learn html, css & photoshop and hire a developer. It will take you longer but you'll gain a skill, have better control of your vision and most important your idea will become a reality.

modality 16y ago

Whatever happened to offering a good or service that people are willing to pay for? Is this really what makes a good business? Absorbing information from "all tech blogs everyday" so that you can regurgitate it on your blog, on your twitter, and at networking meetings? This blog post reads more like a list of instructions on how to be the prettiest girl at the startup scene dance. These ideas are fine if the people writing the blogs and mingling at networking meetings are your potential customers, but I think most of us would be better served by getting away from all of that to talk to the people outside of the echo chamber. You know, the ones with wallets that MBAs like this guy only come in contact with when they're poring over a spreadsheet.