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Ask HN: do you want to enter YC Winter 2010 as part of my team?

8 points by adrianwaj 17y ago

I have been thinking about the music industry since 2000 when the RIAA mounted a massive legal challenge against Napster and was eventually significantly altered and sold off by Shawn Fanning. In 2003 I came up with a website idea and built it using the Xoops CMS, which if it were further developed in a custom manner (and also funded) would've resembled the functionality of MySpace for linking fans with artists, and been more comprehensive. Right now I am seeking two US-based co-founders who'd like to apply for YC funding 2010. I am now in Israel and plan on being the remote cofounder. First and foremost a technical lead is required. Potential cofounders may be developers looking for a great project, or existing teams of two or more wanting to (with myself) continue working together in such a manner. I do not feel overly compelled to enter YC, but feel it would be a great process to maximize the likelihood of real industry change and provide great relevant learning. I am ready to fill out the entire YC application. What's missing are team mates. My idea focuses on optimizing gig creation and I have experience in this field... I don't want to say too much. I have registered a couple of domains already. http://ycombinator.com/ideas.html (this business idea addresses 1. A cure for the disease of which the RIAA is a symptom.)

ashishk 17y ago
Hmm. It's two weeks before the application deadline. Do you really think an ad hoc team, assembled just weeks before the application deadline, will stand a chance?
- adrianwaj 17y ago
  Yes, why not? I will interview of course and check experience.
  - dwynings 17y ago
    "I have a great idea for a startup, but I'm not technical. Will you still fund me? Can you help me find programmers to implement my idea? ... It's much better if you find one yourself through friends of friends than if we introduce you to someone. Teams thrown together for the purpose of starting a startup usually fall apart under stress. You need some kind of personal connection." http://ycombinator.com/faq.html http://ycombinator.com/faq.html
    - adrianwaj 17y ago
      I am technical, just not technical Enough, I can also hire but YC is preferred.
  - ashishk 17y ago
    Case in point: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=829559 http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=829559
    - adrianwaj 17y ago
      I'm particularly interested in getting in touch with previously rejected YC teams. Also, people who have played music professionally or worked in online music-oriented startups already.
frisco 17y ago
You wouldn't come into the Valley for YC, and you're not technical? Why would a good dev want to sign up for this? Regardless of the I-need-a-technical-lead issue, I think it would be missing a major point of YC to not colocate for the time it meets, given you're accepted. Part of the push of YC is to get you to fully commit and take the leap: you're either going for it or you're not. Startups are too close to death at any given time for there to be an in-between.
- adrianwaj 17y ago
  If we were accepted, then I could come into the valley. I could beforehand in fact, but this would be risky cost-wise. Perhaps PG could interview on the basis of "accepted if he comes"??? I am flexible. I could also run a video entry... I have a semi-techincal background, HTML, CSS, Javascript and a degree in Information Systems. Coding large projects from scratch does not entice me: I use mainly Open Source LAMP and tweak.
chrischen 17y ago
No offense, but why do we need you?
- adrianwaj 17y ago
  I can hire local developers but I am exploring the YC route first. Who needs anyone??
  - chrischen 17y ago
    I think the particular thing about startup founders that is emphasized here and by Paul Graham is that they have to be exceptional, or at least offer something that most people don't have. Anyone can hire developers and anyone can apply to YC. I'm not saying you have no worth, but you haven't really given a good reason for anyone to join you yet. If I personally know you, that might be a good reason, but I don't, and the fact that you're calling out on HN means you're not looking for someone you know. So if you do have an urge to work on a startup, get someone you know or do it yourself if you absolutely don't know anyone. Or at least tell people specifically what you can do and make sure it's something that's not easy to find everywhere. I would love for a cool people to work with but we're talking about splitting the company with a whole other person, and if you are not able to offer even a fraction of the other founders' worth (because at this point technical founders will be doing most of the work), then it's a hard sell. Do you have a degree? Do you have a good idea? Are you objective? Anything to show that you have value? Frankly if all you have is an idea that's not even enough value for you to be a co-founder.
    - adrianwaj 17y ago
      I appreciate your response and interest. My original posting basically spells out my position. There's plenty of work for me to do. If you're vaguely interested then I can sell myself more to you either in public or private. I am going to develop this project, I just want to maximize my chances of success, rather than have someone come along and copy me down the track who's in a more commercially viable position (like an incumbent, someone VC-backed, or someone with deeper pockets).
  - 17y ago
nikz 17y ago
I think you need to be particularly careful when approaching a technical audience (like HN) for something like this. I'm not saying that I feel this attitude in particular from you, but posts of the "I'm the business guy, I need a tech guy" nature often come across as condescending to me, as a technical reader. I think the implication is "anyone can make the tech work", when in reality a technical cofounder probably feels like they'll have at least as much input into the startup as you. Or this could just be a personal attitude I've adopted after too many proposals of the "here's 1%, now go do all the work" nature ("I'm worth more because I'm the business guy!") :) In any case, best of luck finding someone.
- adrianwaj 17y ago
  Thank you. In the scenario I envisage, the technical lead becomes the CEO assuming I do not travel to California. I am looking for a high calibre team and feel that I and the idea warrants one. I am sacrificing my control and equity by recruiting on HN in this manner, and I agree with you about the 'tech guy' often receiving the raw deal at times, and have actually worked as that person numerous times -- the sub-ordinate in 3 non-VC backed startups already, including a ticketing startup. I am more than happy to grant more equity to other cofounders than myself: it would depend on how much input they want from me. I have also been a drummer and know what it's like for musicians and managers to organize gigs and tours.
adrianwaj 17y ago
-- I just have to say, many of my comments are getting downmodded, I am answering legitimate concerns to a legitimate posting. If someone has a deeper problem of more than just "I don't think this will work and I don't agree with what you're doing" kindly let me know.
- urlwolf 17y ago
  Sorry to say, but after reading this thread, my gut feeling is 'run away as fast as possible'. I think others are trying to communicate the same more politely. One important thing that you are missing: you would not want to startup with someone you don't know from before, and have complete, blind trust in. And you cannot 'hire' a cofounder. You hire workers, but a cofounder doesn't work for you, by definition.
  - zackattack 17y ago
    I have a deeper problem with it. You are bringing NOTHING to the table. I said it: NOTHING. And you are trying to EXPLOIT an engineer, someone who has developed ACTUAL SKILLS through YEARS OF HARD WORK, STRESS, AND FRUSTRATION. These skills have GLOBAL SOCIAL VALUE. That means that people are willing to PAY ENGINEERS MONEY on the market in order to build things. You claim you are bringing an IDEA, but truly, ideas are WORTHLESS: NOBODY will pay you money for them. On the other hand, if you have something PATENTABLE, that's a different story. If you had been around the site a while, you would have observed these things for yourself. Oh wait - checking out your profile, you have been around for over a year. In my opinion, your complete lack of social/political savvy will lead to your complete failure as a businessman.
    - adrianwaj 17y ago
      "Hero on the quest for truth" ay? thought you'd be more skeptical than cynical. I'll bring my money to the table if all else fails, that has currency, and it's something that many software developers are solely only interested in: they'll bleed you dry, I've seen it for myself. You think I'm trying to exploit people? Wrong. A sense of ownership and shared success is what I though approaching this community could garner for my idea, if there were any takers. You can take a horse to the water but you can't make it drink. Over and out.
ErrantX 17y ago
I do not feel overly compelled to enter YC Then I suspect you have failed before you have even begun :) (pg does read the site here btw). Incidentally I suspect I can explain all the downvotes; your language is something in the style of "corporate exec" (maximizing, optimizing, relevant learning). The kind of people you will find here already have experience of guys who talk like that (and often they are bad experiences for a developer). Certainly if anyone pitched a project to me with that language I would reject it - I know already it is never going to complete comfortably.
- adrianwaj 17y ago
  If I felt "overly compelled" I'd be in the valley now looking for people to work with on a business or tourist visa staying in cheap accom until I could move forward. The downside is too high and my best alternative to any negotiated agreement at that point would be zilch so my leverage would be low in negotiating any agreement. I don't lack confidence but have to manage risk, or in layman's terms, I don't want to overly put my balls on the line unless I absolutely must. Sorry about being a corporate exec in those terms, it's sometimes a decent shortcut, some execs know what they are talking about- maybe not so many consultants. I am definitely no corporate exec, and never worked in a large company. Are you specifically interested? I am happy to complete the application and then discuss it with people who might be or are seriously interested. I have developed a trust in my own judgments and ideas over the years seeing many come to fruition by other people. Unfortunately, I haven't been in the position to so far execute and capitalize myself. edit: all I'm basically requiring is the benefit of the doubt (and I will have to check my idea isn't then ripped off.) Ideas do have value, it's not all execution - if they did not, why are there patents (incl business process patents) or business secrets.
  - ErrantX 17y ago
    * I am definitely no corporate exec, and never worked in a large company.* But you sound like one; you dont have to work at a corporation to have that approach. There is nothing wrong with talking and acting like that - the only thing is you probably wont find anyone here willing to work like that :) pg has an excellent essay called Hackers & Painters which explains, basically, why you don't want the hackers you'll find here. We dont implement ideas :) Ultimately: I don't want to overly put my balls on the line unless I absolutely must. That is probably the main reason you wont find anyone here to help you out. And is definitely the reason YC would almost certainly turn you down. We put our balls on the line with ease - because that's how you make good software :D

adrianwaj 17y ago
The crux of the matter here is that I am bringing a complete idea to the table, and have already worked it through with a talented developer who doesn't have the capacity to go further with the idea. It says in the YC rules that a remote co-founder is permissible. Although this may be construed as biased, for someone that wants to potentially solve a massive and pressing problem, I am offering the opportunity to do so with someone knowledgeable and passionate about it, in a valued context that's associated with this forum. There's no downside in working with me, I'd prefer established teams of two. What's the worst thing that can happen? How am I wrong? I am an affable person.
- apsurd 17y ago
  FWIW , no one is saying you are wrong. If we thought that, your post would not be on the front page. Simply put, you said it yourself: "I am bringing a complete idea and some code to the table". The code may be worth something. The idea, not so much[]. [](at this stage)
  - adrianwaj 17y ago
    I'm not bringing code to the table (the dev didn't start, but we worked the idea, requirements and functionality through). I am bringing myself to the table. ;) There's only a certain length to which I can sell myself and my idea in a public way like this without making myself look desperate, which I'm not, or lowering its value due to exposure. The main message I can give is: if what I am saying and want to do resonates with you, Try Me. Also, I have to be careful of people who just want to hear me out but then not do anything afterward.
    - chrischen 17y ago
      You might have missed the point. If you are the thing that is of value, then it'd be more important if you can show us your good idea. You'd have to, eventually, after we show our interest right? It'd be more important that you show how valuable you are than to show us that you, somehow by chance, stumbled upon a great idea. If it wasn't by chance, and you are just a smart person capable of great ideas, then you wouldn't fear telling everyone about it because you can refine the idea better than others. But if it was just by chance or you feel that you've already refined the idea (which I don't think is possible unless you've truly put it to practice and tested the startup), then you can give at least the general idea. But even then it's a hard sell if the idea is your only asset, since to have a developed idea probably requires having some developed prototype that's in production. Most would naturally still assume you have nothing but a general idea.
- pavs 17y ago
  Don't want to be rude, but ideas are a dime a dozen. An idea is only a "good idea" (in business terms mostly) when you have at least something to show in action. What you consider to be a "groundbreaking" idea, can be considered as "meh" to people who knows what they are doing. I don't think you need a "co-founder" (read: free developer), what you need right now is to hire a developer who can transfer you idea in to action.
  - adrianwaj 17y ago
    Right on. Happy to hire a more conventional developer/programmer but the PR exposure and endorsement of being YC funded is invaluable. YC funds hackers, so I am turning to the hacker community. I can always fallback to other roads, but I thought my idea would be appealing to this community. Selling tickets and music downloads as sourced straight from artists, now who's doing that? I've done the research and it has been on my mind for ages.