

Ask HN: Where is all the talent at? - flignats

Our startup is looking for that All-Start CTO and have been reviewing candidates, but falling flat.  What are some of the networks/communities out there where people have found talent looking to jump on board startups?  Especially those with traction and revenue!
======
krisrak
Please let us know the following:

\- at what stage is the startup at, how much pre-work is done?

\- what do you bring to the table? (other than idea, idea is worth nothing)

\- why should anybody work for your startup vs starting my own?

~~~
flignats
The posting on Startuphire will help clarify some questions about who we are
and what stage we are at. I left the url and description out from this post
because I wanted the topic to be less about our company, specifically, and
more about the talent pools, networks, and meetups that are in the area for
people to connect, talk, and find suitable candidates to join our team.

The startup has a working product/service and generates a modest amount of
revenue. Those details are private. The startup is 1.5 yrs old and has
thousands of paid customers.

------
flignats
Maybe I should restate my question, but first - yes, we have a working
product/service and yes we want a CTO. We have a strategy, support network,
growth plans, ect and are executing them appropriately.

My concern is less about " Hey guys, help me out finding a free developer"
There is nothing 'free' about our job position and I'm not looking to
scrutinize the semantics of the job title. As we all know, we all wear
multiple hats. You can call the title what you'd like, but our job description
is clear (posted on startuphire).

My main concern is that during our process of finding the right candidate,
I've noticed a dwindling talent pool. I am new to the Silicon Valley area and
expected those resources to have more exposure in the area - through networks,
meetups, ect. Being the new kid on the block, I feel like I am missing some
cool hangout that everyone knows about or something.

~~~
bdclimber14
Sorry for almost jumping to conclusions. I'm always overwhelmed with people
asking me "do you know anyone who can be my CTO" but what they really mean is
"do you know anyone who would program my app for free." This definitely
doesn't sound like you.

I hate to be completely unhelpful, but I'm in Phoenix, AZ. Talent here is also
few and far between.

------
bdclimber14
Are you sure you want a CTO, or do you really want a free developer/tech-
cofounder?

A CTO is someone who offers technical leadership, usually over a development
team in a startup. Do you have a team of developers that needs leading?

I agree with krisrak, but you allude to his first point. If you have revenue,
I'm guessing you have a product.

For kirsrak's second point, you have to realize that most technical cofounder
candidates will think (although may not ask outright) "Why wouldn't I just
take your idea, build it without you, and own 100% of the company?" If you
have revenue, then the answer is that you've hopefully gone through enough
customer development and iterations to achieve a product-market fit.

