How to Attract a Tech Co-Founder
If you’re an entrepreneur, you’ve probably heard of technical co-founders. These are people who have design or programming skillsets and are able to build tech products i.e websites / apps. Technical co-founders are in high demand throughout entrepreneurial communities world-wide. This demand for developers, both in the world of startups and industry, means that it’s harder than ever to find one. Even if you do find a developer, equity just doesn’t seem to be convincing enough, without much job security and career progression. Computer Science students are now quickly snapped up by banks and top companies straight after graduation. It’s so expensive to hire a developer, that some companies raise pre-seed investment just so they can start building their MVP (Minimum Viable Product)! There are plenty of potential pitfalls along this journey, and this blog post hopes to provide a guide for tackling this core need for entrepreneurs.
Before anything else, my first bit of advice is to evaluate your own situation. Ask yourself: Have I ever tried programming? When I tried programming, was it tough to get to grips with? Even after hard practice? (Hard practice translates to 20+ working hours) Only if you have tried to, but simply struggle with coding, should you start looking for developers (for reasons alluded to earlier). The most effective way to learn programming is by trial and error, and by experience. Nobody can teach you how to become a good developer. It’s very much like playing a musical instrument which gets easier the more you learn and apply your knowledge. Do courses, make notes and start with original personal projects regardless of how daunting they initially seem (I plan to publish a post on how to learn programming through courses very soon, so stay tuned). You’ll learn just by doing. I can recommend Udacity, Udemy and Coursera along with other MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) to provide a great springboard to programming. Main takeaway: start small, and continually build on your little successes. Always stay positive when programming, because all problems CAN be solved with the right knowledge and experience.
If you have already tried programming, and you just can’t understand it, start asking yourself questions like: Do other people view me as a leader? Am I comfortable with public speaking? Have I started a business in the past? If you believe in yourself, and your vision for a company, go ahead and try launching the idea. It may or may not succeed, but that’s not the point. You will learn a lot about yourself, what you’re capable of, and you’ll have learnt tremendously just from the experience. Don’t listen to the naysayers! Just do it. Everybody is different, so if you think you’ve got what it takes, even without coding knowledge, who has the right to stop you? Launch a business which doesn’t need technical skills, and gain experience that way.
This second part of the article, is geared towards general advice.
Being patient is very important in your journey because available app developers are hard to find, and learning programming from scratch isn’t easy either. Choosing which strategy to pick depends on you. Both strategies work and are suited to each individual’s strengths. Give yourself the best chance of success, and don’t give up! BOTH skillsets are needed when starting a company.
No matter if you can code or not, it takes a team to go great places, as no one person can do everything required to build a startup. So start networking and going to tech-related events. Build your connections, and nurture relationships. Once you get a feel for the industry, and have spoken to other developers, you’ll be more likely to find a co-founder who you gel with. If you’re willing to part with some cash, maybe even post your job as a freelance opportunity on Upwork. You’d be amazed at the quality and quantity of proposals that come your way! Keep an open mind though, and try to get as far as you can on as minimal a budget as possible (this is the idea of bootstrapping). Constantly ask for feedback, and learn from your experiences. Nobody has all the answers, but you’ll learn more that you didn’t know by keeping an open mind. The more you learn, the more likely you will succeed by applying that knowledge.
Most importantly, stay positive and don’t give up. I was in the same position a couple of years ago, when I wanted to start an app business. I was looking for developers, but was discouraged by the cost involved with hiring developers. It was a tough grind, but I kept positive, and now can say I’ve launched 2 apps by myself! There is no limit to what you can achieve when you put your mind to it.
Thanks for reading, I hope you’ve found the article useful.
Stay tuned for the launch of NextLevel: The networking app to find co-founders and business connections. We aim to connect junior developers looking for experience, with entrepreneurs looking for developers. Sign up for the beta today at: www.nextlvel.com!
Also, I’d love to hear your story so far, and see if I am able to help in any way I can! I’m based in London, and you can contact me at: hello@nextlvel.com.
