Where do business guys meet tech guys and vice versa

Hannibal6.0

Background to the question being asked:
Probably a pretty common question, but as an example I have a friend who did the same MSc course as me, very skilled in all business aspects but not a developer in any shape or form. Number of great ideas and has got the proven track record to show that he could successfully bring them to market if he had someone to make the product.

Obvious response is why doesn't he just pay someone to make it, which is an option that he is exploring right now but on the long term he wants to have a partner that we can work with the continuously develop with the business and invest the same sort of time that any co founder would.

I too am on the business side and found it very difficult to meet developers that are looking to seriously start ventures. I however managed to come across my business partner who is a developer by pure chance.

The question:
Is there a bunch of developers out there in search of people to help them bring their products to market or bring them products to create, as I know from experience that there are definitely business people searching for developers?

What have been peoples experiences on this from both sides?

CatFromHue

By developer do you mean a website developer or a product developer (like an engineer)?

Hannibal6.0

It can be both, its a open question really, obviously any type of engineers would have probably spent a lot of their time and education in developing their skills in this area rather than business, and vice versa for people with business backgrounds, so wondering is it a case that engineers feel they dont need to have these sort of skills on their team when bringing something to market or do they face the problem of being forced to do it themselves because they cant find anybody?

ilovemybrick

Try networking events like

PubSummit
Pitchify
StartUpGrind

or any of the other copious amounts of Tech Networking events. Most will garner interest, but some will have genuine links to genuine investors/partners.

Going on purely anecdotal evidence there is generally a shortage of those with the IT skills that you are looking for and that given the choice many opt for paid employment / contracts over risk and uncertainty.

As stated above networking is a possibility.

There is a development forum here but I don't believe they allow job ads offering equity instead of salary.

thecommander

Deleted User wrote: »

Going on purely anecdotal evidence there is generally a shortage of those with the IT skills that you are looking for and that given the choice many opt for paid employment / contracts over risk and uncertainty

Exactly. A paid job is a whole lot better than putting a ton of work into a product that may not happen.

If the OP is so sure of the product then why not just hire someone to do the job, pay them and still have 100% equity left?

Hannibal6.0

thecommander wrote: »

Exactly. A paid job is a whole lot better than putting a ton of work into a product that may not happen.

If the OP is so sure of the product then why not just hire someone to do the job, pay them and still have 100% equity left?

This is the Entrepreneurial forum no? Having a solid product is no guarantee that it will succeed, nothing is ever guaranteed to succeed, just look at some of the latest projects from Sean Parker. Having the right team and energy behind it gives you a much better chance at it succeeding in what venture you take on. Ask any investor and they will tell you that the right team is just as important as having the right product.

Agreed that a paid job is always safer and more reliable but that's why everyone isn't an running their own business.

riveratom

OP, check out www.techteams.ie

In response to your question:

Is there a bunch of developers out there in search of people to help them bring their products to market or bring them products to create

I don't think there will be nearly as many of them as business guys looking for developers...

The main reason there won't be many is because all of the top developers are already in jobs, working for Google, or busy working on their own start-ups - either by themselves, or with business / marketing guys. It's not like they are standing around going 'oh if only I could find an entrepreneur to help me bring this to market'.

There are a lot of entrepreneurs out there, but very few top developers by comparison. That's why it's tricky finding them.

ontour2

Have a look at http://dublinbeta.com/ that is on next week.

There are techies out there interested in getting involved in something that they will own a share of and can be passionate about. There are other who want a salary and fail to appreciate that there is more to a business than their code.

Getting a tech partner is far better than employing someone as you can find someone who buys in to your vision, is committed to a successful outcome and will put in the effort required to make a start up a success. If the idea is good, they are unlikely to abandon you because there is a higher daily rate available around the corner.

srsly78

ontour2 wrote: »

There are other who want a salary and fail to appreciate that there is more to a business than their code.

The cheek of them turning down 10% sweat equity, who do they think they are? :pac:

Developers can earn ****loads of money working a regular job these days, why should they work for nothing on your risky idea?

thecommander

srsly78 wrote: »

Developers can earn ****loads of money working a regular job these days, why should they work for nothing on your risky idea?

Exactly.

I've been approached a good few times by people telling me they've a great idea, that's it's going to be a winner, and would give me a % of the company if I worked on it with them. If someones value your time and expertise, then I'd expect them to pay me for it, rather than hoping that I'll take a risk on their risk. 50% of 0 is 0.

ontour2

srsly78 wrote: »

The cheek of them turning down 10% sweat equity, who do they think they are? :pac:

Developers can earn ****loads of money working a regular job these days, why should they work for nothing on your risky idea?

Different people want different things out of life, lots of people have no interest in starting a company, this includes developers, chefs, accountants, admin etc. etc. Each to their own.

I am tired of developers who decide to invest their time a startup, possibly someone else's idea, being characterised as idiots. No one is talking about kidnapping developers and locking them in the basement.

I know people much more passionate about the tech or the industry than they are about the salary. People with different priorities and motivations makes the world a more interesting place.

Some people like to dream of this

Working with a startup and holding down a paid job is not an either/ or choice. It is possible for a developer / marketer / sales person/ analyst/ UX etc. to work with a startup and have a job.

srsly78

Developers need to eat too you know? I've worked as a software developer for several startups, but they paid me market-rate. Hell I even made a business out of it, got my own consultancy company now

Peterdalkey

This is a bit like a perverted version of Einstein's theory, relative to where you stand, your own perspective puts you in the right. The OP is looking for a developer with a entrepreneurial bent, prepared to take a risk. Clearly not for everyone, but then we are all different, it is what makes us Homo sapiens. Any potential partner developer would have to be lit up by the concept and it's potential and also by the the person who is the promoter, then they can possibly do great things. A promoter with no cash is never going to appeal to a developer with no appetite for risk, no matter how mega the idea is. It is a question of finding two like minded individuals with complimentary skillsets.

ontour2

srsly78 wrote: »

Developers need to eat too you know?

Who do you think is buying them pizza at 9pm! The developers get to the pizza first, the analysts and testers have to wait until the developers are fed, where is your sympathy for them!

There are many people out there who have an idea and corner a dev type in a pub expecting the dev person to be really excited about working for free for the next 12 months to create the best social media site ever. I can full appreciate how this winds up people. There is a big difference between that and someone with a business plan, possibly funding, maybe a customer and potentially a team of experts. Not all opportunities are equal, a worthwhile opportunity will be rare.

padraigcarroll

Peterdalkey wrote: »

This is a bit like a perverted version of Einstein's theory, relative to where you stand, your own perspective puts you in the right. The OP is looking for a developer with a entrepreneurial bent, prepared to take a risk. Clearly not for everyone, but then we are all different, it is what makes us Homo sapiens. Any potential partner developer would have to be lit up by the concept and it's potential and also by the the person who is the promoter, then they can possibly do great things. A promoter with no cash is never going to appeal to a developer with no appetite for risk, no matter how mega the idea is. It is a question of finding two like minded individuals with complimentary skillsets.

Exactly.

The Corinthian

Here's a perspective of someone who's both been an entrepreneur, on-and-off, for 20 years and developer for 15 years.

First of all, not everyone who calls themselves an entrepreneur is one. If you can make a living (even a basic hand-to mouth one) from your business, you have a right to call yourself an entrepreneur. Otherwise, you're just someone who wants to play at being one.

And there's lots of would-be entrepreneurs out there, each with an 'idea' that they've convinced themselves is the 'next big thing' and developers are approached by them several times a year. Two-a-penny. Seriously.

From the developer's viewpoint, it's all a risk versus reward analysis - as it should be for the entrepreneur, but often isn't. Is the idea any good? Can I afford to quit my job and live on savings for the next year or two? What does this prospective business partner actually bring to the table other than an 'idea'? How long before I get payback - and will that payback even be as high as my present salary, let alone higher?

And the thing is, most would-be entrepreneurs seem so blinded by the notion of being an entrepreneur, that they don't really consider that these are the questions they need to be able to answer so as to sell 'it' to a potential partner.

Some examples of smart and stupid pitches to a developer (figures are purely for demonstrative purposes):

Smart: I've done extensive market research, put together a business plan, am putting €20k of my own money into the venture and have been OK'ed for another €10k from a feasibility study grant to build a prototype. At that point, I have a VC who is serious about putting €200k in, if we can deliver the prototype.

Stupid: I've done lots of financial modelling using Excel and done some research on the Web. What's great about the idea is [insert long evangelical diatribe].

Smart: I understand your financial situation. But I can offer a 30% stake if you build the [insert product/service] at a reduced rate of €20 p.h.

Stupid: I understand your financial situation. But I can only offer a 30% stake if you build the [insert product/service].

Smart: I've ten years in the industry that this product/service will target, and from my contacts I've already have three clients signed up.

Stupid: What's great about the idea is [insert long evangelical diatribe]. It'll sell itself / we'll hire a sales person / marketing manager.

Ultimately, if you want a developer to come on board, you need to convince them that you're actually bringing something to the business and will continue to be of value (and not just dead weight). And, importantly, you need to be able to tip the risk versus reward calculation in the developers mind, so that the cost of it not working out will not be too high against the opportunity cost of earning an not insignificant sum as an employee or contractor developer.

If you can do that, many developers will be happy to hear you out and you should have the pick of the good ones (not the inexperienced ones who are more clueless than the would-be entrepreneur). It's been so long since I've heard a decent pitch, I'd even be open to one.