

Ask HN: Founders: Interested in earning extra cash? - bryanjoseph

Hey HNers.  Need some feedback: How many founders &#x2F; cofounders could use, or could have used, extra income while starting up your company?  The typical job&#x2F;gig search thing just doesn&#x27;t seem efficient or practical for entrepreneurs.  I&#x27;m thinking about starting a service that helps founders get recruited for extra remote work ---- and get paid very well for it.<p>I&#x27;m thinking something along the lines of a marketplace exclusively for entrepreneurs, where you&#x27;d create say offers or packages which employers can purchase, and on our end we&#x27;d go out and ultimately serve as your recruiter and find you work that fits in your schedule.<p>The issue is that founders don&#x27;t have time to look for work and browse job descriptions, or interview --- so we&#x27;d need to make it clear that you have x amount of availability, you&#x27;re being hired remotely, and at a rate you specify.<p>For employers, entrepreneurs typically have highly desirable skill sets --- even with limited availability and performing remote work.<p>Is this of interest?  Thoughts?
======
AndTheyLoveIt
I'd be super interested in this. Been working on a startup full-time but might
have to look for contract work soon. I think the value add of something like
this is having you curate the job listings for entrepreneurs and you being
able to convince companies the value of our unique skill set. Might be best
done manually at first but I'd pay for a service like that.

~~~
bryanjoseph
Nice, glad to hear and thanks for the feedback. I agree clearly communicating
the value of your unique skill set is key. Any other ideas please keep them
coming

------
karmajunkie
What I really want is an agent. I'd be willing to give up a small percentage
if my hourly every month to an agent who brought me contracts I was really,
really interested in. I've thought many times about how to pull this off, and
I just don't know if the dynamic is right in the industry.

~~~
sixQuarks
What is your hourly rate, and what qualifies you for such a high rate? I'm
asking honestly, as a person who's actually interested in being an agent.
Basically, help me help you.

~~~
bryanjoseph
Cool. So you'd be interested in being an agent. Can you expand on your ideal
user experience?

------
gregcohn
FWIW, I know of at least one member of the billion-plus exit club who was a
core founder & did sidework during the early days....

~~~
bryanjoseph
Cool, thank you!

------
chewxy
You have my attention. Now, what's the pitch?

~~~
bryanjoseph
I'm thinking something along the lines of a marketplace exclusively for
entrepreneurs, where you'd create say offers or packages which employers can
purchase, and on our end we'd go out and ultimately serve as your recruiter
and find you work that fits in your schedule.

The issue is that founders don't have time to look for work and browse job
descriptions, or interview --- so we'd need to make it clear that you have x
amount of availability, you're being hired remotely, and at a rate you
specify.

For employers, entrepreneurs typically have highly desirable skill sets ---
even with limited availability and performing remote work.

Thoughts?

~~~
kohanz
_packages which employers can purchase_

Have you validated the employer demand? Seems like that would be the tougher
part of the equation.

Sure, employers need part-time, remote workers, but are they willing to pay a
premium for entrepreneurs? I'm skeptical.

~~~
bryanjoseph
Yeah, working on that feedback/validation as well. Typically larger companies
lack innovation and are encouraged to hire entrepreneurs. Especially if you've
proven yourself, and can show what you've done --- it eliminates a lot of
uncertainty and validates your worth. But even if you haven't, if you can show
what you're working on, and your skill set --- it's a big plus. I'd personally
like to hire from this pool.

Again though, do need to validate from the other end and working on it.

------
mindcrime
_Is this of interest?_

Oh yeah, definitely.

 _Thoughts?_

Want. Now.

Seriously, I could see this being _really_ useful if it works. I'd be very
interested in giving it a try.

~~~
bryanjoseph
Awesome, thanks!

