

Ask YC: What if your partners want you to let it go after 7 years? - wasanbes

I have been working on a website/service concept for over 7 years now. The work was unhurried until competition started emerging. I had to ask two friends to work on the project. But now, after we're almost half the way, they want to change the concept and switch to another startup. I admit that my project is very demanding and time consuming and that legally they own two third of it all,I am not sure I can let it go. What do you think I should do?
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babul
7 years is a long time, especially in the world of the internet.

If it has not been successful by now, you really need to look at doing other
things.

~~~
olefoo
7 years isn't necessarily too long to bring an idea to fruition. It's out
towards the edge of the distribution for an internet startup, but it's
perfectly reasonable for something complex.

~~~
babul
Maybe in the corporate world, but if you are small _startup_ then surely not.

The world changes so rapidly and most of what small _startups_ offer are
solutions to a _current_ need. If you are doing it as a hobby or for
fun/learning/charity then that is different, but as a _business_ (the purpose
of a _business_ is to make money, and _startups_ are businesses ultimately) it
is unfeasible. As a basic proof, try pitching to investors/VCs. Even
friends/family would be reluctant to invest as a _business_.

~~~
olefoo
Not every startup is a web application built around a CRUD model, seven years
is a short time for bringing a new medical device to market; and a long time
for a novelty ice cream flavor.

Time to market is not always as crucial as it seems; photo.net was doing photo
sharing and social networking ten years before flickr got bought by Yahoo!,
it's more than possible to be too early to market.

You don't go to VC's during the R&D phase, you go to them once you've worked
out the technology risk and have something that could be taken to market with
a sufficient application of money.

It's a good thing that there are inventors with long attention spans because
we would still be chasing wildlife for dinner if there weren't.

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noodle
i mean, unless they're going to be jerks about it, why can't you just keep a
hold, or a copy, of the codestream to continue to work on your idea if they're
jumping ship to change ideas and startups.

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ideas101
there are many issues that you're facing now... but it may be simplified if
dealt smartly and with all integrity ... first of all you took too long to
implement/execute your idea - so now you're in trouble (internal and
external).

anyway lets resolve the internal issue first. You need to find out what your
partners really want, chances are they want/need something else than what it
looks like from outside, find out what will motivate them to stay with your
project?, also it is not clear whether they prefer to quit or they prefer to
change the concept, may be they want to quit because you're not flexible
enough to listen to them and change the concept - you need to really listen to
them and think rationally (not emotionally) whether changing the concept will
benefit all, try to create a win-win situation for all. last option is to let
them go (because if they are not motivated enough then it won't produce the
desired result) without burning the relationship, find the replacement at the
earliest. If they are united and want to close the company then find out the
legal way to hold on to the intellectual property at the minimum cost to
you....

if they are your true friends then they should not give you hard-time in
exploring either options. If you really love your project then you have to be
very firm though in a polite way so that they can figure it out that you're
really serious to pursue your ambition and nothing can change your route (with
or without their help) - may be they will change their mind after seeing your
determination.

~~~
popat
long story short, you need 4 things :

1\. Determination: as pg always says that most successful people are those
who're determined to bring their dream come true.

2\. Code: somehow you have to manage to get the source code in your control. ,

3\. Backup plan: make plan-b ready for damage control anticipated by your
partners leaving project.

4\. Speed: buddy, you need speed to roll-out to deal with competition.

~~~
wasanbes
1- Determination is what kept me moving all a long. I could've easily forgot
about it, years ago. 2- This is what'll be trying to do. 3- They don't want to
leave? What if they want to force a change? 4- I have my day job that I need
to pay for my project.

~~~
ideas101
if they force for the change that you you disagree in totality then there is
no other way then to quit and go on your own ... if you're busy with your day
job then you need to find someone who is not that busy or who is available
full-time for stock options

EDIT: somehow you have to make an agreement with your partners (if possible do
it legally) that if they decide to quit or if your partnership is dissolved
then IP (code) remains with you (because originally the idea was yours) and in
the future they cant do something similar either, i dont know whether it is
completely enforceable legally but i dont think if any company (say goolge or
yahoo or MS) will let me pursue the idea on my own that was originally not
mine - so in the same way you can have an agreement or contract with your
partners too.

