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You know that there are all sorts of articles that tell you that cofounding a company with someone is like marrying them - lesson: don't rush in to it. Make sur

You know that there are all sorts of articles that tell you that cofounding a company with someone is like marrying them - lesson: don't rush in to it. Make sure you are both on the same page and that you can work with them in stressful circumstances. I'm not saying that it can't be done, but that it might be best to wait until the next cycle to try YC (after you've met a good cofounder that you are sure will be compatible with you). Good luck though! If you're planning on going through with it, then please prove me wrong! Also: Do you have any hacker skills, or just the idea, experience, and assets? You may find that people here are not receptive to "I've got the business mind and all I need is a hacker to throw my idea together" approach. You might be better off going into angel funding (you could even fund YC companies!) if you have the experience and resources, but not the technical skills.

jdileo 18y ago
thank you for the well thought out insight. i agree with how important the "marriage" of partners is. also, i mean no disrespect to the hacker community. a tech company is surely nothing without the stud technologist. it just seems to me that if i have operational experience and some capital i would be a good fit for the right hacker that is considering keeping an unfulfilling job or going to grad. school because they lack the money to take the leap.
- dkokelley 18y ago
  I agree. You have something that many founders here don't - the experience of founding and exiting a successful startup, and of course the assets that go with a successful startup. It just seems to me that you would do best in an angel/mentor position to a star hacker team. You obviously know your way around a startup, and you can find opportunities and network. This way, you are free to do what you do best, while the hackers are free to do what they do best. Then again, that might end up being the role you play as the non-hacker founder of a tech startup anyways. Regardless, let us all know how it works out for you!
- peterb 18y ago
  My experience with "stud technologists" is that they never call themselves "stud", "rockstar", "ninja", etc. The truly outstanding developers I have worked with were humble and a little on the shy, geeky side. Some may even have had Asperger's, which made socializing difficult.
tjic 18y ago
> there are all sorts of articles that tell you that cofounding a company with someone is like marrying them You're responding to a guy that just told you that he launched and grew a co. to $9M/yr. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he's smart enough to hire well.
- dkokelley 18y ago
  Absolutely. I'm just saying that finding a cofounder within 1 day of the YC deadline is going to be difficult, and might be detrimental. Also he doesn't need a hacker employee, he needs a hacker cofounder. That's why I suggested waiting until the next round and meeting someone he's sure will be good to work with.

jdileo 18y ago

thank you for the well thought out insight. i agree with how important the "marriage" of partners is. also, i mean no disrespect to the hacker community. a tech company is surely nothing without the stud technologist. it just seems to me that if i have operational experience and some capital i would be a good fit for the right hacker that is considering keeping an unfulfilling job or going to grad. school because they lack the money to take the leap.

dkokelley 18y ago
I agree. You have something that many founders here don't - the experience of founding and exiting a successful startup, and of course the assets that go with a successful startup. It just seems to me that you would do best in an angel/mentor position to a star hacker team. You obviously know your way around a startup, and you can find opportunities and network. This way, you are free to do what you do best, while the hackers are free to do what they do best. Then again, that might end up being the role you play as the non-hacker founder of a tech startup anyways. Regardless, let us all know how it works out for you!
peterb 18y ago
My experience with "stud technologists" is that they never call themselves "stud", "rockstar", "ninja", etc. The truly outstanding developers I have worked with were humble and a little on the shy, geeky side. Some may even have had Asperger's, which made socializing difficult.

tjic 18y ago

> there are all sorts of articles that tell you that cofounding a company with someone is like marrying them You're responding to a guy that just told you that he launched and grew a co. to $9M/yr. I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that he's smart enough to hire well.

dkokelley 18y ago
Absolutely. I'm just saying that finding a cofounder within 1 day of the YC deadline is going to be difficult, and might be detrimental. Also he doesn't need a hacker employee, he needs a hacker cofounder. That's why I suggested waiting until the next round and meeting someone he's sure will be good to work with.