

Ask HN: Working with non-technical founders? - BWStearns

So I am starting to work on a nights&#x2F;weekend project with a couple of guys who are very much non-technical (though one made a valiant effort getting most of the way through CS-50x). Before I learned to program we were in the same technologically backwards industry and we&#x27;re addressing a pretty glaring need.<p>They are not &quot;idea guys&quot; in the HN sense so it&#x27;s not a matter of them leveraging someone with technical skills and sitting back and waiting for the nerd to do something. We&#x27;re building some enterprise software and they are bringing the necessary industry connections&#x2F;bid process know-how that is necessary to turn a good product into a profitable one, and one of them actually has solid input in terms of product so they are definitely adding value.<p>How do I&#x2F;did you manage expectations&#x2F;communicate how building software works to a non-technical partner?<p>How do I&#x2F;did you explain that while raising capital now and hiring random dudes is pointless, if you find the right developer it is worth giving significant equity?<p>Have you faced any other issues with a similar arrangement that I should be aware of?&#x2F;Any war stories about such arrangements?
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andkon
Get them to read the right stuff. If they actually take the time to go through
the canon of modern PM work (starting with Lean Startup), they'll probably
start seeing sense.

As a formerly non-technical person, it's worth pointing out that it's really
hard to understand the pain of development if you don't do it. So communicate
the tradeoffs: that, they'll get. Say "I don't know" more, and be clear about
risks in developing new features. Be open. If they're good managers, they'll
respond well, assuming they trust you and not just their own genius (which I
think is the danger with Idea Men).

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BWStearns
Thanks for the input. They aren't Idea Men (though one of them has
particularly useful input. Me and him both were our former target users). I am
also formerly non-technical.

Have you had your own experiences with this (as either the tech guy or the
business guy in your pre-tech iteration)?

