[Chet Zar]

Hey guys,

A friend of mine is in the market for a new website or mobile app - it is for a new idea that they want to move fast on and keep under wraps - getting a beta version/prototype/MVP out there asap.

Any tips on this, bearing in mind that here are the two options I have in mind for her:

1) the usual-contract a reputable web development company or freelancer, one which looks to be a good match in terms of their past projects, testimonials etc. Could be costly though of course!

2) get a quality freelance developer on board, preferably someone who may be excited about the idea and willing to take a reduced fee in exchange for an equity stake.

I know well myself though that the option 2 is tricky, and hard to get people to work for reduced/no money in exchange for something that may or may not work out. Also, the good developers are likely to be too busy anyway

That said, I am sure there are developers out there who are start-up-minded as well so to speak, who may be interested in partnering up - and who may have past experience in doing so - willing and able I guess.

It is definitely the kind of idea she just wants to ship and test - it has to look the part and actually work - but doesn't need to be perfect for a beta launch (obviously!).

Recommendations?

[smash]

All sounds very vague and not thought out. The fact she doesn't know if she wants a mobile app or a website means she has done no research into it either. Pie in the sky.

[Chet Zar]

Originally Posted by smash

All sounds very vague and not thought out. The fact she doesn't know if she wants a mobile app or a website means she has done no research into it either. Pie in the sky.

Well, it's really more about who she should approach and who has past experience of these kind of projects from a development perspective (once a decision has been made on app v site, etc)

[professore]

Does your friend have a track record in building multimillion businesses from scratch and selling them? If so she should have no problem. Otherwise pie in the sky. The idea is worth very little, it's getting it to market that's the tricky part.

[professore]

Does your friend have a track record/experience in building multi million turnover software businesses from scratch and selling them? If so she should have no problem. Otherwise pie in the sky.

Most people have no clue what's involved with producing a GOOD software product and making a success of it - it's as likely as setting out to become a professional footballer or a rockstar, most fail, in fact if you've never done it before you're pretty much guaranteed to fail.

Maybe a more appropriate analogy would be to build a new type of airplane from scratch and having no experience in the airline industry.

It matters very little if the idea gets "stolen" as it's worth very little on it's own, and has probably been done or is not worth doing, it's getting it to market that's the tricky part.

And I'm not trying to discourage her - in fact go for it, it's a good learning experience for the next time.

[Chet Zar]

Originally Posted by professore

Does your friend have a track record/experience in building multi million turnover software businesses from scratch and selling them? If so she should have no problem. Otherwise pie in the sky.

Go back to 2004 and tell Mark Zuckerberg that

Originally Posted by professore

Most people have no clue what's involved with producing a GOOD software product and making a success of it - it's as likely as setting out to become a professional footballer or a rockstar, most fail, in fact if you've never done it before you're pretty much guaranteed to fail.

That's flawed I'm afraid - because if you don't have a natural talent as a footballer, you will never make it. If you don't know how to write amazing music (or be lucky to join a band where someone does know how), then you will never make it.

Building a web-based product is not dependent on knowing what's involved with producing it. It's up to your web developer to know how to do that. It's your job to conceive the idea, execute it and market it (with help from others). You may win, you may not, but it's not dependent on having done it before. See above re Mark Z. Same goes for Bill Gates, Steve Jobs...

Originally Posted by professore

Maybe a more appropriate analogy would be to build a new type of airplane from scratch and having no experience in the airline industry.

Again, not really - because you're talking about very specialised skills and/or aptitudes. Who is going to try and build a new type of airplane if they haven't studied aeronautics in great detail, or worked in the industry?

Originally Posted by professore

It matters very little if the idea gets "stolen" as it's worth very little on it's own, and has probably been done or is not worth doing, it's getting it to market that's the tricky part.

Agree in that there are probably no original ideas - just existing ones, or existing ones with a spin or pivot. Execution is key, which brings us full circle back to my original point

I do know where you're coming from though - the plan has to be well-executed, rather than just some random notion of something you're going to build and 'it's gonna be great'.