6 ms·

Ask HN: Need advice about my startup

5 points by ashraful 15y ago

Hi. My name is Ashraful. I am a business student (about to graduate), but I do freelance website design work as well. Portfolio at madebyargon.com for those interested. I always wanted to launch my own startup and I have managed to save up a few thousand dollars from my freelancing gigs. Nothing significant but enough to get a startup up and running. I planned on building a modern web browser and had convinced a programmer friend of mine (who is very talented) to team up with me. I was very excited about the whole thing, and really thought (and still think) that the idea had a lot of potential if we could execute it properly. I posted the idea for the browser on my blog (http://ashraful.org/introducing-browsr/ and http://ashraful.org/browser-features/), hoping to get some feedback. While most seemed to be underwhelmed, the idea seemed to have resonated with some big co.s and several lucrative job offers came our way. All of the companies wanted us to join their browser team as programmers, so while my friend is deciding which to join, I am left without a programmer to build the product, and no job offer to mull over. Being a designer, my coding knowledge is limited to HTML/CSS and some javascript, with zero knowledge of desktop programming. I cannot really move forward on my own and do not know anyone who is capable of building something like this and is interested. Now I am left with two options. 1. I can try to find people interested in building the browser online (if you are interested email me: inlith@gmail.com). The problem is I do not have enough money to pay someone to build this, and I know from experience that its difficult to find good programmers who will work for equity. 2. I can abandon the idea for the browser and move forward with a different kind of startup. Other than the browser I have a few ideas for some cool web apps. I am considering starting a company, similar to Kevin Rose's Milk Inc., that focuses on building a few good products. With my savings I can hire two or three good web developers locally (it costs $500/month to hire decent developers where I live). I can continue freelancing as a designer to make enough money to keep the company afloat (operating costs are low), until we have some profitable apps under our belt. My third option is to go the traditional way of a business grad in my country and get a job at a bank or some FMCG company. Not something I'm interested in doing. What do you guys think? I would be grateful for some advice or suggestion. Thanks for reading.

robfitz 15y ago
I like #2. Infinite runway from freelancing gives you a lot of options. As someone leaning toward design rather than programming, you might consider plugging into a platform ecosystem rather than building standalone. In particular I'm thinking Salesforce or 37signals, but I'm sure there are others. Both have big groups of happily paying customers doing real business, and a good framework for API or widget plugins. Reduces the marketing risk and lets you focus on improving usability instead of starting from scratch.
ziyadb 15y ago
#2 appears to be the most enticing option. Although if you do decide to go with it you can also consider doing #1 with the "decent developers". I am not sure how you intended to create Browsr, but creating a javascript engine and other core browser features is no easy feat, I suggest you use the chromium project (Google Chrome) for the backend (core) and perhaps develop the UI from scratch.
- ashraful 15y ago
  Desktop programmers in my country are more traditional minded, and they take jobs at larger companies. Few would be willing to join a startup. I could try nonetheless...
martinshen 15y ago
Of the two... #2 is best but I would avoid trying to balance your own product time and freelance. I did that for years and it got me absolutely no where other than experience. If I were you, I'd join a YC startup as the UX guy... Lots of people are looking for them and your portfolio is impressive enough. Depending on the stage of the company (letsay recent YC grad). You should be able to score 3-6% plus living wage ($30K to $45K) as well as gain a ton of connections in the valley. That is, if you can pull off the visa stuff. --- Failing the visa shenanigans, I would try to form up a company with low tech focus/need. Letsay a mobile ad network, niche ad network, e-commerce, monthly packages (a la manpacks etc.)... I wouldn't go the Kevin Rose way as its hard for you to raise money not living in the US (and Milk doesn't make apps that make direct money) as well as web design not being sustainable as a business.
trussi 15y ago
Definitely #2. Here's what you're advantage is: access to good, cheap developers. Everybody and their mother is trying to find good, cheap developers. You are the bridge. Don't go the traditional consulting route though. Here's your strategy: provide a one-stop shop for a biz dev founder 'looking for a co-founder'. You can't fart without finding 10 of them. Only pick ideas that can be quickly monetized (no social, mobile BS...stick with B2B SaaS applications). If you can float the cost of development (i.e. no out of pocket expenses for the biz dev founder), you take a nice chunk of equity. You get IP rights (unlike a traditional consulting gig) and you hold the keys to the kingdom (i.e. you keep all source code on your servers under lock and key; biz dev person doesn't get access to source code unless he/she writes you a big check). Think of it like a technical incubator, where all you're looking for are ideas. This is a really powerful business model I think you could really knock out of the park!! Let me know if you need any help on execution! And keeps us posted on your progress.
amorphid 15y ago
Building a browser sounds like a steep hill to climb. I like #2. I'm a business guy with a startup, and learning how to make money and pay for development myself was a valuable lesson to learn.

5 points by ashraful 15y ago

robfitz 15y ago

I like #2. Infinite runway from freelancing gives you a lot of options. As someone leaning toward design rather than programming, you might consider plugging into a platform ecosystem rather than building standalone. In particular I'm thinking Salesforce or 37signals, but I'm sure there are others. Both have big groups of happily paying customers doing real business, and a good framework for API or widget plugins. Reduces the marketing risk and lets you focus on improving usability instead of starting from scratch.

ziyadb 15y ago

#2 appears to be the most enticing option. Although if you do decide to go with it you can also consider doing #1 with the "decent developers". I am not sure how you intended to create Browsr, but creating a javascript engine and other core browser features is no easy feat, I suggest you use the chromium project (Google Chrome) for the backend (core) and perhaps develop the UI from scratch.

ashraful 15y ago
Desktop programmers in my country are more traditional minded, and they take jobs at larger companies. Few would be willing to join a startup. I could try nonetheless...

martinshen 15y ago

Of the two... #2 is best but I would avoid trying to balance your own product time and freelance. I did that for years and it got me absolutely no where other than experience. If I were you, I'd join a YC startup as the UX guy... Lots of people are looking for them and your portfolio is impressive enough. Depending on the stage of the company (letsay recent YC grad). You should be able to score 3-6% plus living wage ($30K to $45K) as well as gain a ton of connections in the valley. That is, if you can pull off the visa stuff. --- Failing the visa shenanigans, I would try to form up a company with low tech focus/need. Letsay a mobile ad network, niche ad network, e-commerce, monthly packages (a la manpacks etc.)... I wouldn't go the Kevin Rose way as its hard for you to raise money not living in the US (and Milk doesn't make apps that make direct money) as well as web design not being sustainable as a business.

trussi 15y ago

Definitely #2. Here's what you're advantage is: access to good, cheap developers. Everybody and their mother is trying to find good, cheap developers. You are the bridge. Don't go the traditional consulting route though. Here's your strategy: provide a one-stop shop for a biz dev founder 'looking for a co-founder'. You can't fart without finding 10 of them. Only pick ideas that can be quickly monetized (no social, mobile BS...stick with B2B SaaS applications). If you can float the cost of development (i.e. no out of pocket expenses for the biz dev founder), you take a nice chunk of equity. You get IP rights (unlike a traditional consulting gig) and you hold the keys to the kingdom (i.e. you keep all source code on your servers under lock and key; biz dev person doesn't get access to source code unless he/she writes you a big check). Think of it like a technical incubator, where all you're looking for are ideas. This is a really powerful business model I think you could really knock out of the park!! Let me know if you need any help on execution! And keeps us posted on your progress.

amorphid 15y ago

Building a browser sounds like a steep hill to climb. I like #2. I'm a business guy with a startup, and learning how to make money and pay for development myself was a valuable lesson to learn.