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Ask HN: Am I being self deluded about my startup?
Hi hacker news, this is my story, I'll keep this short.
For the past year or so, since graduating from a CS degree, I've decided that I would give a go at exploring some ideas I've had with some friends (3).
Some with a sound business model, others not so much, but still great ideas.
My friends are all employed, and have been for years. They all have above average technical and executional capacities occupying well regarded positions within both their day job and the local hackers scene.
Our main problem is the capacity to finish a project given the time my colleagues have at their disposal. None of them is willing to give up their day jobs without some form of guaranty.
We have had potential clients and have made several prototypes for these clients in the hopes of landing a major contract, we have only succeeded once by selling ourselves short. (It is coming soon, but at this point we are being ransomed by our client)
We do have a plan but for the most part we are failing to succeed. I can detect several problems, from our lack of business knowledge to our non-existent self promotion, as well as failure to abide to responsibilities in a consistent manner, in between others. I do demand more for my colleagues, but they are only able/willing to give so much.
Only my name is connected to this company, as my colleagues contracts prevent them from being associated with any outside project. I'm at the breaking point of my mental and financial capacities. I still don't want to give up as I've never lost a fight in my life, so I'm asking the hacker community for your advice. Is there any hope for this team? What alternatives should I explore?
PS: I understand this is far too little information and a very dumbed down version of the reality. I would go about writing a 66 page essay about our failures and accomplishments. But I imagine that would discourage most of you from reading this.
PS2: note that zerostartup is not the name of our company.
- waitwhat 15y ago(Based on the little you've written here...) You sound passionate, but your friends don't.
- zerostartup 15y agoI don't want to seem unfair, they've all putted more or less work, with more or less enthusiasm, especially one, which has gone several weekdays nights and weekends without sleep, hacking away with me. We have been through ups and downs, and they could have all given up, but they haven't. Ultimately they are all my friends and may be afraid of letting me down. The truth is that they do not feel the burden as i do, nor their name or their finances is at stake. So I am at loss here as well. Thank you for time :)
- ShashankSingh 15y agoimho , having heart-to-heart talk where every risk and payout is on table , helps .
- zerostartup 15y agoWe did have a very calm conversation a couple of days ago. The options is either we get someone willing to work full-time with equity or I get a full time job, and do this part-time. The later being the same as giving up for me. So I decided to go all out, and ask for help to see what other alternatives there are, basically what should I do to fix this and make it economically viable as soon as possible. I appreciate your response, thk you!
- tstegart 15y agoDon't think of switching to part-time as giving up, its a viable strategy. One, in brings money in the door. Two, it gives you time to step back and get your mind working on other things. Both of those are invaluable. Also, if you can support yourself and work on your start-up part time, that's a recipe for success. It might be slower, but at least you won't go all out and then run out of money and fail because of a lack of capital.
- ShashankSingh 15y agoI was in the same situation more or less 2 years , i wont say i have any solution for lack of interest but in my case every one who wanted to cling to a stable job while trying to test waters with my startup did eventually leave it . So i have learnt to stick with people who share my passion rather than treating it as a "side project" .
- zerostartup 15y agoCan I ask you if you do software as a service or have any kind of client acquisition. If so, how did you went about doing it? We have this premise that we must have some portfolio in order to land some 'big' clients and publicize our work, however as I've said, it has been hard to put something finished and representative of our quality.
- ShashankSingh 15y ago"software as service"
- michaelpinto 15y agoThe give way here is that you call these folks your friends -- and while it's good to have friends that's different than "partners". What you need are partners so you need to take the first steps and meet people with similar interests (in a business sense) outside your immediate circle. And for what it's worth maybe look for those skills that you're lacking like business experience.
- zerostartup 15y agoThank you, i have followed your advised, have already reached out for a couple of people through email, and going to see what kinda of social events/workshops are coming up in my area. Once again thanks!
- brudgers 15y agoI think it was Gandhi(or maybe John Lennon) who said: Ideas are worth nothing unless executed. They are just a multiplier. Execution is worth millions.