3 ms·

Aspiring founder (but no co-founder and problem) – should I work for a startup?

I’m a student and aspiring founder. But since I don’t have a problem + co-founder that I want to go all-in on yet, I assume that for my internships and full-time job, working for a pre-PMF startup (as opposed to working for big tech or a VC company) would be the best option for me? But what if the startup (that I’m working for, post-grad) fails? Is it most optimal for me to hop to another startup (assuming, once again, that I don’t have a problem + co-founder that I want to go all-in on)? And how would your answer differ if I was technical vs. non-technical, which would in-turn affect the work (and pay) I’d be doing for the startup? Basically I’m wondering what the most optimal decision is for a current student and aspiring founder — who wants at least a bit of job security.

GianFabien 3y ago
Describing yourself as an "aspiring founder" suggests that you are attracted to the idea of being an entrepreneur. It's not unlike aspiring to be a professional sports person or TV/film star. It is the glamour that you find appealing. Successful startups come about from recognizing a problem worth solving and having a market willing to pay to have that problem solved. Computers and software are means to an end. In addition to building up your knowledge, you also should seek out experience in some domain that you have an talent for. Once you have acquired a critical mass of real world experience, you will see lots of problems that need solving. Some of them might even be commercially viable. Perhaps a good option for you would be to identify startups that are active in an area that you could become interested in. In addition to your technical education, you could follow some proven entrepreneurial processes. I recommend Steve Blank's blog and book -- http://steveblank.com/ http://steveblank.com/ Being a founder also means not being motivated by job security. You either find investors to fund your runway, or build up considerable savings in advance and be self-funded series-A.
austin-cheney 3y ago
If you need a high risk high reward startup idea email me. Email in my profile.
CedricTeyton 3y ago
Working for a startup would help you learn - a lot - at a fast pace. It's definitely a great experience if you're an aspiring founder. That'd be the right choice IMHO.

GianFabien 3y ago

Describing yourself as an "aspiring founder" suggests that you are attracted to the idea of being an entrepreneur. It's not unlike aspiring to be a professional sports person or TV/film star. It is the glamour that you find appealing. Successful startups come about from recognizing a problem worth solving and having a market willing to pay to have that problem solved. Computers and software are means to an end. In addition to building up your knowledge, you also should seek out experience in some domain that you have an talent for. Once you have acquired a critical mass of real world experience, you will see lots of problems that need solving. Some of them might even be commercially viable. Perhaps a good option for you would be to identify startups that are active in an area that you could become interested in. In addition to your technical education, you could follow some proven entrepreneurial processes. I recommend Steve Blank's blog and book -- http://steveblank.com/ http://steveblank.com/ Being a founder also means not being motivated by job security. You either find investors to fund your runway, or build up considerable savings in advance and be self-funded series-A.

austin-cheney 3y ago

If you need a high risk high reward startup idea email me. Email in my profile.

CedricTeyton 3y ago

Working for a startup would help you learn - a lot - at a fast pace. It's definitely a great experience if you're an aspiring founder. That'd be the right choice IMHO.