You know, I'm not sure there are any successful companies where the founder didn't have those key skills. Sure, some small companies make it on luck, but every

You know, I'm not sure there are any successful companies where the founder didn't have those key skills. Sure, some small companies make it on luck, but every household company we can name was started by someone who grok'd both the business and tech sides of his industry. I also think its a mistake to see consultants as "peers." A peer is someone who works at your same level. The word means "equal." A consultant is not an equal. They're hired help and they can't have the same goals or motivation as a founder, which is another reason that companies that rely on consultants for critical stuff usually lose a lot of money doing so.