4 ms·

Build a version 1. If you can't do that, go convince a prospective customer to give you a check in advance. Either of these will greatly increase your odds.

by johnrob 13y ago

Build a version 1. If you can't do that, go convince a prospective customer to give you a check in advance. Either of these will greatly increase your odds. If you can't do either, why would anyone invest?

soneca 13y ago
I built a prototype myself, as I am learning to code. But that wasn't good enough to offer to a customer, so I outsource it. Now I am working with a freelance developer on it, hoping we work well together so one day he can be my co-founder. Before that I already sold it to two clients, but sounded strange to me "ask the check" in advance. They agreeded to pay for it, but didn't pay yet. But now that is built, I will deliver, and if they aprove, they will pay. Not the perfect answers to your advices, but I thinks it is good enough.
- meowface 13y ago
  >Now I am working with a freelance developer on it, hoping we work well together so one day he can be my co-founder. Not to be all doom and gloom, but one of pg's top advice points is that each co-founder should be someone you already know (and are hopefully at least acquaintances with, preferably friends with) before the startup is put down on paper. Building a startup from scratch is hard, and you need to do it with someone you're comfortable spending a ton of time with. All the co-founders need to be on the same wavelength and need to communicate well and frequently. I don't know your circumstances, or where you found said freelance developer, but seeking out someone just to help develop some of the ideas you have is usually not the way to go to make a company. To make one product, perhaps, but probably not a company.
  - soneca 13y ago
    Well, there is one thing I am sure. There is no one between my friends or acquaintances that could be a co-founder. Trust me, I've been looking for a long time. So what do i do? Don't build a company? No, i hire a good frelancer, see if it works out fine. Then i offer a fulltime job, hopefully with the revenue of the startup. If this turma out fine, then he becomes a co-founder and CTO.

by johnrob 13y ago

soneca 13y ago

I built a prototype myself, as I am learning to code. But that wasn't good enough to offer to a customer, so I outsource it. Now I am working with a freelance developer on it, hoping we work well together so one day he can be my co-founder. Before that I already sold it to two clients, but sounded strange to me "ask the check" in advance. They agreeded to pay for it, but didn't pay yet. But now that is built, I will deliver, and if they aprove, they will pay. Not the perfect answers to your advices, but I thinks it is good enough.

meowface 13y ago
>Now I am working with a freelance developer on it, hoping we work well together so one day he can be my co-founder. Not to be all doom and gloom, but one of pg's top advice points is that each co-founder should be someone you already know (and are hopefully at least acquaintances with, preferably friends with) before the startup is put down on paper. Building a startup from scratch is hard, and you need to do it with someone you're comfortable spending a ton of time with. All the co-founders need to be on the same wavelength and need to communicate well and frequently. I don't know your circumstances, or where you found said freelance developer, but seeking out someone just to help develop some of the ideas you have is usually not the way to go to make a company. To make one product, perhaps, but probably not a company.
- soneca 13y ago
  Well, there is one thing I am sure. There is no one between my friends or acquaintances that could be a co-founder. Trust me, I've been looking for a long time. So what do i do? Don't build a company? No, i hire a good frelancer, see if it works out fine. Then i offer a fulltime job, hopefully with the revenue of the startup. If this turma out fine, then he becomes a co-founder and CTO.