Got an idea for a web app, but you aren’t a techie?

You and your business partner have an idea for the next ‘Big Big Thing’, but neither of you knows anything about software development or programming.  How do you turn get your idea out of your heads and on to the internet?  I spent a few minutes chatting about this very topic earlier today.  The individual first asked me if I would be willing to sign an NDA and explained that we don’t do NDAs.  She decided she could describe what she was trying to accomplish in general terms without giving away the ’secret’ (basically, a fairly simple social network-style website).  She went on to explain that she had recruited a CFO and now she was thinking about hiring a CTO and trying to decide whether or not she should outsource development here in the US or overseas.

My advice:

  • Stop asking for NDAs and start sharing your idea widely, here is why.
  • Don’t hire a CFO (you won’t need one for quite some time).
  • Don’t hire a CTO (at least don’t hire anyone who has ever been CTO of anything but a startup).
  • Attend Local Events like Startup Happy Hour, Refresh Dallas, Ruby Brigade, Barcamp and Democamp.
  • Find a young, passionate developer with an above average EQ to join the team as a founder (he will be at the events listed above) and make him a full partner in your deal.
  • Outsource the major development to U.S. based freelancers (don’t worry if they augment their team with offshore resources as long as you don’t have to deal with them).

The right person:

  • Some early stage startup experience (as a founder or employee).
  • Passionate about software development (hopefully agile methods, LAMP, Rails, etc).
  • Someone who has read more than one book about development (Don’t Make Me Think - Krug, Bulletproof Web Design - Cederholm, Designing with Web Standards - Zeldman, Defensive Design - 37Signals, Agile Web Development - DHH)
  • Someone who writes about his work on a blog (regularly)
  • Someone who has a LinkedIn profile with more than a few recommendations
  • Someone who attends events like Barcamp, Web 2.0, RailsCon and Gnomedex.
  • Someone who can sit on a panel at a conference and talk about your service.
  • Someone who is well respected and has at least 300 followers on Twitter.
  • Find the coolest startups in your area and ask them about the person you are thinking of hiring.  If he is respected they will tell you how great he is, if he is a chump they won’t say much…

One last thought.  Everyone assumes building a website or a web service is easy (I know I did).  Anyone with an idea can simply hire a few coders and presto they are on their way to kicking Google’s ass.  It is hard to explain, but an anology I use is: “I have an amazing idea for a new kind of shopping mall.  All I need is to raise the money (Around $500MM), buy the land and find a contractor to build it.”  Of course, it might be easy to design and build a mall (I doubt it), but if you haven’t done it before I suspect there are a number of important lessons you might not be up-to speed on.  Have you ever been to North Park?  That was the first attempt at an indoor mall, they didn’t get it right until a few years ago.  Building a successful web application really requires a little know how and experience ~ they days of Craigslist are over (i.e. you can’t build a rudamentary website and expect to be successful, it is just too late).  Your site needs to be MUCH better…

Written by Alexander Muse |

Keep your ideas secret!


Guy Kawasaki's 10-20-30 Rule


Terms Sheets, a VC's perspective


How NOT to pitch to a VC!


Top Network Stories

Startups

Welcome to the South Carolina Startup Blog
From South Carolina Startup Blog

SpringStage is a new startup founded by David Cohen, Alexander Muse and Micah Baldwin. Our objective is to build a network of online, offline and media properties in an effort... Read More »

July 3, 2008 | Leave a Comment

Not just a Big Idea...
From North Carolina Startup Blog

It seems like a bit of a pun, starting up a blog about start-ups.  Just a humble beginning about things with mostly humble beginnings, lots of drive, a bit of... Read More »

July 3, 2008 | 1 Comment

Filtrbox - Got information overload?
From Colorado Startups

Filtrbox, one of the TechStars companies from 2007 which provides a time-saving cure for information overload, has left private beta behind and is now available to everyone. Early feedback seems quite... Read More »

July 3, 2008 |

Welcome to the North Carolina Startup Blog
From North Carolina Startup Blog

Welcome to the North Carolina Startup Blog. SpringStage is a new startup founded by David Cohen, Alexander Muse and Micah Baldwin. Our objective is to build a network of online,... Read More »

July 1, 2008 | Leave a Comment


Venture Capital

New Kentucky Venture Fund
From Kentucky Startup Blog

Blue Chip Venture company in partnership with the University of Kentucky have raised a $10 million fund to help launch Kentucky based high tech startups.  The details are still being worked... Read More »

June 27, 2008 |

Kentucky Green
From Kentucky Startup Blog

I write this blog to highlight the interesting happenings in Kentucky entrepreneurship, especially the high tech side. Most people, both inside and outside the state, are not aware of the... Read More »

June 24, 2008 |

7 million in funding
From Kentucky Startup Blog

Kentucky is the only state to match both SBIR phase 1 and phase 2 federal research grants.  SInce the program started in 2006, over 7 million in matching grants have been awarded to 31 companies. ... Read More »

June 20, 2008 |

LinkedIn gets its' billion
From Kentucky Startup Blog

In a previous post about LinkedIn, we talked about the difficulty LinkedIn was having in selling itself. Now They have their funding round and their billion valuation. The investors in... Read More »

June 18, 2008 |


Personal

Coffee or Lunch?

David Cohen wrote a post titled, “Coffee or Lunch” that resonated with me.  I get calls, emails, IMs on a daily basis from people who want to meet. ... Read more »

July 1, 2008 |

Perfect picture I forgot to use. . .

The cute one looking at the camera is my son Ethan.  Thankfully, he can keep his gun (it is only a bb-gun)…  :)  Read More →

June 28, 2008 |

Sigma Phi Epsilon 17 years later. . .

In 1991 I joined Sigma Phi Epsilon at the University of Texas at Austin.  That year the fraternity developed the Balanced Man program.  Last week Scott and I met... Read more »

June 27, 2008 |


Politics

One good reason to vote against Obama

The Supreme court narrowly (5-4) upheld our right to bear arms in a ruling today.  As Ben Winograd explained so eloquently, “It doesn’t take a mathematician... Read more »

June 26, 2008 |

Help me draft the Hulk for the Marine Corps

UPDATE: I talked to the guys at Marvel and they have agreed to donate TWO Incredible Hulk statues to ship to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan (depending on where... Read more »

June 25, 2008 |

Not that it matters, but. . .

McCain is making me cringe.  Not satisified with simply losing, he is working hard to commit political suicide, read more here.  Read More →

June 21, 2008 |