4 ms·

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).
frisco 17y ago
A startup is not a small business. A startup is attempting to build something of tremendous value for a large number of people. At that level, you can't treat internet systems as a black box: the skills needed to successfully launch a webapp and manage it with users are very non-trivial. Put another way: you can't manage devs who are an order of magnitude more deep technically than you are. Outsourcing works when there's local management who can make sure everything isn't falling apart and can vet the code submitted.
- 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.

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).

frisco 17y ago

A startup is not a small business. A startup is attempting to build something of tremendous value for a large number of people. At that level, you can't treat internet systems as a black box: the skills needed to successfully launch a webapp and manage it with users are very non-trivial. Put another way: you can't manage devs who are an order of magnitude more deep technically than you are. Outsourcing works when there's local management who can make sure everything isn't falling apart and can vet the code submitted.

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.