4 ms·

Since you have the money why don't you just hire someone to do the programming work for you? Then you'll own 100% of the business, you'll be giving an unemploy

by owkaye 18y ago

Since you have the money why don't you just hire someone to do the programming work for you? Then you'll own 100% of the business, you'll be giving an unemployed programmer a job, and you'll never have to deal with the issues that come up between co-founders when they see things differently. Personally I think the only reason for a co-founder is if you don't have the money to hire someone to do the work you cannot or will not do yourself. Or if you're such a lazy person or so unfocused that you cannot just get the work done yourself without someone else pushing you all the time ... although if this description applies to you then I would suggest that you're not cut-out to be anything other than an employee anyways. I've been self-employed for almost three decades and I have never missed having a co-founder for anything I've ever done. But I'm highly self-motivated and seldom second-guess my decisions, and with so many years in business I have more than my share of experience doing all kinds of different work -- including programming. So maybe this is why I never missed having a co-founder. I guess if you want to get funding from Y you'll need a co-founder since PG apparently doesn't fund companies without one -- not many of them anyways. But since you said you don't need the money I cannot for the life of me figure out why you would even want a co-founder ... Do you really think it's an intelligent move to give away a huge chunk of your future business simply to find a competent programmer??? Regardless of your answer, I think you should hire a programmer instead of trying to partner with one (unless you really don't have as much money as you suggest) ... and there are lots of places to find programmers other than the Bay Area. I also think you're going to have to get over your fear of someone stealing your idea, and start explaining it in more detail, before you'll find the person or people who will do the programming that makes it a reality. I'm willing to bet that you're not even the first to think of your idea. You might even be surprised when you explain it to learn that other people here already know of similar services, either currently in existence or in the process of being developed.

jdileo 18y ago
I appreciate you taking the time to write this well thought out response owkaye. My interest in a co-founder stems from me having no experience in hacking or tech, felt it best to bring in someone with vested interest. Wasn't thinking 50/50, probably more like 80/20 because I'll be funding. You make some good points I am going to think about heavily. Regarding YC, I believe they offer a ton of value beyond the money...especially for someone on the outside like me. The mindsharing, networking to other YC founders and hopefully, eventually, VC's when the beta iterates successfully are worth giving them a vig.
- owkaye 18y ago
  "Regarding YC, I believe they offer a ton of value beyond the money." I'm sure they do, but finding a co-founder who is a programmer just to get into their program seems rather ass-backwards if you ask me. I would much rather own 100% of my company, hire a programmer to do that work, and use my time to make my own contacts. If you think you have to move to the Valley to make these contacts there's nothing wrong with moving. People always brag about it being a common everyday occurrence to meet and chat with VC's there anyways. I don't know how true this is, but that's only because I've never been there to experience the environment firsthand. And I'm not belittling the value of YC in any way, I'm just reminding you that there are other ways of doing things than the ways you've conceived. Whether or not they work for you is up to you to decide. I have a very independent outlook on life and business, so even if this might work well for me it doesn't mean it would work for you or others. I would actually love to partner with the right people in a new venture, but I won't take the time to seek them out because of two reasons: 1- I know I can be successful on my own without them, and if I take time out I will have to sacrifice the progress I'm already making in order to find them, and ... 2- Given the unreliable nature of the task of finding a reliable 'partner' I feel it makes more sense for me to just stick to what I've already started, and just keep working on it myself. If the right partner comes along for me that's great, but I won't lose any sleep over it if I have to do everything myself. I get a lot of support from my wife anyways, and it's probably better support than I might get from another kind of 'partner'. This may be another reason why I do not agree with some online claims that having a co-founder is so important to the success of a new business. On the other hand, I was launching new ventures years before I met my wife, and going back to "doing it all myself" simply doesn't phase me in the least. I am not one of those folks who need someone else around to keep my energy and focus, that's all. For better or worse that's just the way I am.

by owkaye 18y ago

jdileo 18y ago

I appreciate you taking the time to write this well thought out response owkaye. My interest in a co-founder stems from me having no experience in hacking or tech, felt it best to bring in someone with vested interest. Wasn't thinking 50/50, probably more like 80/20 because I'll be funding. You make some good points I am going to think about heavily. Regarding YC, I believe they offer a ton of value beyond the money...especially for someone on the outside like me. The mindsharing, networking to other YC founders and hopefully, eventually, VC's when the beta iterates successfully are worth giving them a vig.

owkaye 18y ago
"Regarding YC, I believe they offer a ton of value beyond the money." I'm sure they do, but finding a co-founder who is a programmer just to get into their program seems rather ass-backwards if you ask me. I would much rather own 100% of my company, hire a programmer to do that work, and use my time to make my own contacts. If you think you have to move to the Valley to make these contacts there's nothing wrong with moving. People always brag about it being a common everyday occurrence to meet and chat with VC's there anyways. I don't know how true this is, but that's only because I've never been there to experience the environment firsthand. And I'm not belittling the value of YC in any way, I'm just reminding you that there are other ways of doing things than the ways you've conceived. Whether or not they work for you is up to you to decide. I have a very independent outlook on life and business, so even if this might work well for me it doesn't mean it would work for you or others. I would actually love to partner with the right people in a new venture, but I won't take the time to seek them out because of two reasons: 1- I know I can be successful on my own without them, and if I take time out I will have to sacrifice the progress I'm already making in order to find them, and ... 2- Given the unreliable nature of the task of finding a reliable 'partner' I feel it makes more sense for me to just stick to what I've already started, and just keep working on it myself. If the right partner comes along for me that's great, but I won't lose any sleep over it if I have to do everything myself. I get a lot of support from my wife anyways, and it's probably better support than I might get from another kind of 'partner'. This may be another reason why I do not agree with some online claims that having a co-founder is so important to the success of a new business. On the other hand, I was launching new ventures years before I met my wife, and going back to "doing it all myself" simply doesn't phase me in the least. I am not one of those folks who need someone else around to keep my energy and focus, that's all. For better or worse that's just the way I am.