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Here's my current strategy as a 'business guy' trying to get the attention of good hackers. Note: it's not working. - Understand the languages we'll be using a

Here's my current strategy as a 'business guy' trying to get the attention of good hackers. Note: it's not working. - Understand the languages we'll be using and build as much I can. The ugly truth is that it's very slow going. - Distinguish myself from other 'business guys.' I ran BD for a design and launch firm that worked with successful, high exit startups. We also ran a major demo conference. Doesn't have much of an effect- maybe my story is a dime a dozen in this town. - Genuine respect for engineering. I truly don't want to abstract away engineers like so many companies. I've seen a major startup with 100% technical roots drive off a cliff because they focused on "UX," marketing, partnerships, etc., realize the product they were launching was buggy and unlikable, scramble to rewrite everything and unsurprisingly fail. I believe it's critically strategic your team build consumer products they're actually using. Don't steamroll your engineers. Duh. Elevate them so they are the heart of your company? Takes commitment but will pay off- especially through your B and C rounds. - Etc. Basically, everything I can to make sure the DNA of our partnership is centered on raw technical initiative and isn't simply a means to an end. There's a stereotype of the dominant businessperson and workhorse engineer. And it does happen- I've met quite a few teams with this dynamic. Personally, I don't want it. The smartest guy in the room rarely exhibits the submissive personality and I'm looking for an equal. On a tangent, I want founders and scrappy engineer/entrepreneurs to understand how to treat sales/BD people. I have a string of experiences getting excited about working for a young company before the founders try and get me to do the work on straight commission. The insult doesn't bug me, but I walk because it shows me you're not ready to run a relationship business.

Joakal 15y ago
If you're as good as you say, then those engineers are incompetent. However, did you show online proof of your business knowledge? The reason is as you and author say, Hackers are wary and had been preyed on. So, hackers, like business people, rely on referrals but also online proof. For example blog posts, code commits, etc. Since you can't quite do code, have you made blog posts or similar, showing how much value you've added to their business? Also, straight commissions do work from the anecdotal observations I'm told and seen (eg GroupOn). If you want to do more than sales and into relationships/contacts, then emphasise that straight commissions on long relationships is not good compensation. If they're reasonable, see that you're good at relationships and need it (funding, marketing, etc), they'll provide a different package.

Joakal 15y ago

If you're as good as you say, then those engineers are incompetent. However, did you show online proof of your business knowledge? The reason is as you and author say, Hackers are wary and had been preyed on. So, hackers, like business people, rely on referrals but also online proof. For example blog posts, code commits, etc. Since you can't quite do code, have you made blog posts or similar, showing how much value you've added to their business? Also, straight commissions do work from the anecdotal observations I'm told and seen (eg GroupOn). If you want to do more than sales and into relationships/contacts, then emphasise that straight commissions on long relationships is not good compensation. If they're reasonable, see that you're good at relationships and need it (funding, marketing, etc), they'll provide a different package.