How To Build A Tech Startup With No Technical Skills

Summary

In this video, the speakers discuss the critical need for business founders to recruit exceptional technical co-founders. They emphasize that great software companies are built by great software engineers and highlight the importance of finding someone who shares the same level of commitment and passion as a founder. The video offers insights on how to identify and approach potential technical partners, stressing that the best business founders are also great recruiters, and that offering a sense of adventure and partnership can be compelling to potential co-founders.

Takeaways

• 🤝 The importance of having a technical co-founder for a software startup cannot be overstated; it's crucial for success.
• 🚀 Successful business founders are those who can recruit amazing technical co-founders, creating a powerful synergy.
• 📝 Many aspiring founders overlook the necessity of a technical co-founder, which can significantly reduce their chances of success.
• 💡 The script emphasizes that the best business founders are those who can find and work with great software engineers.
• 🛠️ Starting a software company without a technical co-founder is akin to building a rocket without knowledge of physics.
• 🔍 The video suggests that business people often need to reassess their expectations and qualifications for a technical co-founder.
• 🎯 It's suggested that business founders should aim to recruit the best person they've ever worked with, rather than settling for less.
• 🤔 The script encourages founders to consider why they haven't approached the best potential co-founders and to overcome self-imposed barriers.
• 💼 Having a technical co-founder is not just beneficial for purely tech businesses but also for 'tech-enabled' companies.
• 🤝 The process of finding a co-founder should involve collaboration and shared ownership, not just a search for an employee.
• 🌟 The pitch to a potential co-founder should be about the adventure and opportunity of building something significant together, not just executing someone else's idea.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the video script?

The main topic of the video script is the importance of having a technical co-founder for business people who want to start a software or tech-enabled company.

Why do business people often seek technical co-founders according to the script?

Business people often seek technical co-founders because they recognize the need for technical expertise to bring their business ideas to life, especially in the tech industry.

What is the key secret to being a successful business co-founder as mentioned in the script?

The key secret to being a successful business co-founder, as mentioned in the script, is the ability to recruit amazing technical co-founders.

What does the script suggest about the intersection of great business founders and those who can recruit technical co-founders?

The script suggests that the intersection of great business founders and those who can recruit technical co-founders is a special class with fewer people, which can significantly distinguish a business.

Why do some business people dismiss the idea of finding a technical co-founder?

Some business people dismiss the idea of finding a technical co-founder because they find it too hard, or they believe they can't find the right person, leading them to proceed without one.

What is the comparison made in the script between starting a software company without a technical co-founder and other ventures?

The script compares starting a software company without a technical co-founder to building a rocket to the moon without knowing physics, emphasizing the absurdity and reduced chances of success.

What does the script imply about the role of a technical co-founder in a software startup?

The script implies that a technical co-founder is crucial in a software startup, as they provide the necessary technical expertise and commitment to build and iterate on the product effectively.

What is the script's stance on the idea that software is just a part of the business, not the core?

The script argues that even if software is not the core of the business, the speed of shipping software and having a great technical team is critical to the success of companies like Airbnb or DoorDash.

What advice does the script give to business people who feel they cannot find a technical co-founder?

The script advises business people to not disqualify potential co-founders too quickly, to consider working at a startup to meet the right people, and to pitch the idea of an adventure rather than just an idea.

What is the script's view on the importance of the 'adventure' aspect when pitching to potential technical co-founders?

The script views the 'adventure' aspect as a compelling factor when pitching to potential technical co-founders, suggesting that the excitement of embarking on a new venture can be a strong motivator.

How does the script address the concern of business people who feel they are not qualified to judge technical talent?

The script encourages business people to think about who the best person they have ever worked with is and to consider recruiting them as a co-founder, implying that their judgment of character and work ethic is valuable.

Outlines

00:00

🤝 The Importance of Technical Co-founders in Business

This paragraph discusses the vital role of technical co-founders in the success of a business, particularly in the tech industry. The speaker emphasizes that great software companies are built by great software engineers and that business people should embrace this reality. The paragraph highlights the common issue faced by aspiring founders who struggle to find or recruit technical co-founders, and the importance of not just having an idea, but also the ability to bring together a team that can execute it. The speaker also points out that the best business founders are those who can recruit amazing technical co-founders, which is a distinguishing factor in the entrepreneurial world.

05:02

🚀 Overcoming Challenges to Find the Right Tech Talent

The second paragraph delves into the challenges of finding the right technical talent for a startup. It addresses the misconception that a business can succeed without a strong technical co-founder, using the analogy of building a rocket without knowledge of physics. The speaker argues that even companies that are not strictly tech businesses, such as DoorDash or Airbnb, rely heavily on their ability to quickly develop and ship software. The paragraph also touches on the importance of having a co-founder who is deeply invested in the company's success, as opposed to hiring engineers who may not share the same level of commitment.

10:04

🛠️ The Art of Recruitment and Building a Strong Team

This paragraph focuses on the art of recruitment and the importance of building a strong team, especially for non-technical founders. It suggests that if a business person does not know where to find technical co-founders, they might consider working at a startup to expand their network. The speaker encourages founders to think about the best person they've ever worked with and consider how they might recruit such an individual to be a co-founder. The paragraph also discusses the importance of offering more than just an idea, but the adventure and potential for shared success that comes with starting a company together.

15:04

🎉 Embracing the Adventure of Entrepreneurship

The final paragraph wraps up the discussion by emphasizing the adventure and excitement of entrepreneurship. It suggests that successful non-technical founders are often great recruiters who can attract top talent by offering not just a job, but a journey of shared ambition and discovery. The speaker encourages founders to hold themselves to the same standard as these successful individuals and to use the process of recruitment as a way to 'bend the universe to their will,' ultimately leading to greater success in their ventures.

Keywords

💡Technical Co-founder

A technical co-founder is an individual with expertise in technology, software development, or engineering who is a founding member of a startup, often contributing to the product's creation and innovation. In the video, the importance of having a technical co-founder is emphasized as crucial for the success of a software startup. The script mentions that the best business founders recruit amazing technical co-founders, which is a key distinction and a common opening question from aspiring founders.

💡Business Co-founder

A business co-founder is someone with strong business acumen who is responsible for the strategic, operational, and financial aspects of a startup. The script discusses the dynamic between business and technical co-founders, highlighting the need for great business people to partner with great technical minds to build successful companies.

💡Recruiting

Recruiting in the context of the video refers to the process of identifying, attracting, and persuading talented individuals to join a startup as co-founders or key team members. The script stresses that the best business founders are those who can recruit amazing technical co-founders, which is a critical skill for startup success.

💡Software Startup

A software startup is a company that primarily focuses on creating and selling software products. The video's theme revolves around the importance of having a technical co-founder in a software startup, as it is likened to building a rocket to the moon without knowledge of physics, emphasizing the absurdity of attempting such a venture without the necessary technical expertise.

💡Idea

In the video, an 'idea' refers to the initial concept or plan for a new product or service. The script points out that while ideas are important, they are not enough on their own and that great ideas need to be coupled with the right technical expertise to be successfully executed.

💡Success

Success in the context of the video is the achievement of a startup's goals, often measured by the growth, profitability, and impact of the company. The script argues that having a technical co-founder significantly increases the chances of a startup's success due to their critical role in product development and innovation.

💡Adventure

Adventure in the video is used metaphorically to describe the excitement, risks, and opportunities associated with starting a company. The script suggests that pitching a startup as an adventure can be an effective way to attract potential co-founders and team members who are looking for a challenging and rewarding experience.

💡Hustle

Hustle in the script refers to the drive, determination, and relentless effort that entrepreneurs often exhibit to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals. It is mentioned in the context of a business person's attitude towards finding a technical co-founder and the willingness to put in the effort to make it happen.

💡10x Engineer

A '10x Engineer' is a term used to describe a software engineer who is exceptionally talented and productive, capable of achieving ten times the output of an average engineer. The video suggests that having a '10x Engineer' as a co-founder can be a game-changer for a startup, contributing significantly to its success.

💡Marketplace Software

Marketplace software refers to the type of platform that facilitates transactions between different parties, such as buyers and sellers. In the script, it is used as an example of a type of software that a startup might create, and the importance of having a technical co-founder to build and iterate on such a platform is discussed.

💡White Label Software

White label software is a generic, non-branded version of a product that can be customized and sold under a different company's name. The video argues against relying on white label software for a startup, stating that the lack of a dedicated technical co-founder to tailor and improve the software can lead to failure.

Highlights

The importance of having a technical co-founder for business people with great ideas to succeed in the tech startup world.

The common challenge faced by aspiring founders in finding a technical co-founder.

The key secret to being the best business co-founder is recruiting amazing technical co-founders.

The distinction between good business people and those who can recruit great technical talent.

The misconception that having a technical co-founder is not necessary for success in the tech industry.

The analogy of building a rocket to the moon without knowing physics to emphasize the absurdity of starting a tech company without a technical co-founder.

The argument that great software companies are built by great software engineers, not just by great ideas.

The reality that having a technical co-founder increases the chances of success significantly in a tech startup.

The importance of not dismissing the search for a technical co-founder as too hard and instead embracing the challenge.

The advice for business people to not start a company without a technical co-founder, similar to not building a rocket without a physicist.

The perspective that having a technical co-founder is a golden opportunity and should be pursued actively.

The suggestion to not start a company if the right technical co-founder cannot be found, and instead to expand one's network.

The strategy of visualizing the best person one has ever worked with and considering them as a potential co-founder.

The idea that pitching an adventure, not just an idea, can attract the best talent to join a startup.

The emphasis on the rarity of opportunities to embark on an adventure, which can be a compelling factor in recruiting a co-founder.

The insight that successful non-technical founders are often great recruiters who manage to attract top talent.

The conclusion that being a great recruiter and finding the best person to work with is a pattern seen in successful founders.

Transcripts

you're offering Adventure you're

offering the unknown and Adventure isn't

here's my idea for a social network for

dogs will you build my website no let's

build a company together together

yes welcome to Doon plus Michael today

we're going to talk

about why business folks need great

technical

co-founders so who's this video for

Let's talk about the business folks

we're talking to yeah I think to set

this up um Michael and I both talk to a

lot of aspiring Founders in any number

of different venues on the street at

conferences in interviews wherever like

they find us they find us and one of the

more common opening lines is something

like well I'm a really good business

person with a great idea I have the best

ideas yes you know how do I need a

technical co-founder or how do I find a

technical co-founder or I can't find any

good technical co-founders like this is

one of the number one opening questions

we get when we meet people in the real

world yes and so this video is aimed at

all of those people that ask all these

questions that we have met and all the

people that haven't met us that might be

thinking these questions and what we

want to do is give you the key secret to

actually being the best business

co-founder and we're not going to hide

it we're going to put it right up front

the best business

Founders recruit amazing Technical

co-founders and that is how they

distinguish themselves that is the

number one distinction so it's not

what's on your resume where you worked

the fact that you were some fancy

executive that you're tall people like

to go and have drinks with you you've

got Amazing Ideas

unfortunately there are a lot of folks

like that yeah imagine the set of people

imagine the intersection there's the set

of people that are great business

Founders yes and there's the set of

people that can recruit amazing

technical co-founders yes you want to be

in the intersection of those two sets

and there's not many people no that puts

you in a very special class well and I

would I would argue it it is so

distinguishing that you're given amazing

opportunities um but what's tricky is

not only to people not see this um or to

people try and not get a Tech Co or they

just dismiss it out of hand it's too

hard like they'll just kind of like shut

this line that's what's even more common

it's just that like well I I can't find

this person so I'm just going along yeah

I don't know anyone okay you know and

this is the crazy thing because like a

lot of people will pitch this to me as

like but this is the true Spirit of an

entrepreneurism like no barrier can

prevent me from getting my product to

market right like I couldn't find

technical co-founder so I just moved to

the next challenge I hired some

Engineers or I got a Dev shop and like

nothing will keep

me will hold me back back and what's so

sad about that way of thinking about it

is that like one the percentage chances

of death just went through the roof

right like you've just

completely reduced your chances of

success but

two I bet if you would put the same

amount of effort you put into getting a

product to Market without a great

technical founder into finding a great

technical founder at least half people

would be able to do it yeah and so it's

just like it's a shame because it's so

much wasted Talent yeah I I like to

think about it this way again we are

what we're talking about implicitly

let's make it explicit we're talking

about a company that uses software as a

deep part of it so Teck software startup

if we're talking about a software

startup yes and you somehow don't have a

technical co-founder this would be like

I'm going to build a rocket to the moon

yes but no one here knows anything about

physics we can my I have such a big

heart we can just like like I have such

Hustle I'm Johnny hustle I'm going to

the Moon Michael like do you see how

absurd that is but and the as is okay if

you want to start a new clothing brand

or a liquor brand okay you don't need

this doesn't OB but if you're if you're

saying yeah I'm going to build a

software company and you don't have a

software co-founder it just you're not

even in the in the ball game you're not

even in the stadium well what's so sad

for me is like when I say that to people

sometimes they think I'm trying to

discourage them but if you go back to

that I'm going to prove you wrong

Michael I'm going to learn physics yeah

and I'm like I am not trying to like I

am trying to tell you the number or like

I came to you for advice about my

product but you're telling me I need a

co- you're insulting me Michael yeah

yeah and it's just like no I'm trying to

give you the most important thing I can

tell you and you know what interesting

is that like this is advice is informed

by my personal experience right like I

was the single non-technical person on a

forers co-founding team at Justin TV and

twitch and like uh I'll just make it

plain without my three other co-founders

none of that happens like ideas are

a dime a dozen and so um I think that

more business people need to embrace the

idea that great software companies are

built by great software Engineers yep a

common retort out here is like d we're

not building a software business

software is in there but it's not that

it's a tech enabled yeah we're just

building a simple marketplace right like

we can just use jedit Marketplace

software it's just a copy of door Dash

with a little twist why do we need a

great software engineer what's your

response you know it's hard to win that

debate in theory like it's hard to

convince someone just in the debate

they'll be like well we're just going to

agree to disagree yes but I think if you

just look at the facts of the companies

we funded like literally door Dash or

literally Airbnb or any of these folks

yes they lived and died by their speed

of shipping software and if they what

they did was buy white label software or

have some Dev shop in a foreign country

making edits to the website there's a 0%

chance those companies would have worked

yeah and so again who am I to say there

won't be some future company that maybe

uses one of these things yes but the

more that the more that we're exposed to

seeing what these companies look like at

the earliest stages even if they don't

look like strictly Tech

businesses man there's no way these

things would have gotten off the ground

without having a really great person who

cared as much as a co-founder cares yes

building this thing day in and day out

versus someone ripping you off charging

you $500 an hour to change some words on

the website and you don't even know

you're not even ball game like it's not

even well what what pisses me off is

that like I think in other areas um that

are equally as hard as being successful

Tech founder let's say Athletics I think

more people are realistic about it

strangely like the equivalent is you

know a 5'4 person who doesn't

jump can't run yeah and like got a lot

of heart mangles yeah they're not that

many of those people who are saying to

the world I want to be in the NBA right

whereas we see the equivalent of that in

startups all the time and it's like it's

one thing if you're 66 and like you're

like a great high school basketball

player you probably won't make the NBA

but like all right at least you you're

in the stadium in the stadium you're

amongst the million people who could

yeah and I think that people are not

honest with themselves and I think what

we're trying to do is give you this

secret which is that

like you can almost get a ticket to

being in the game and it requires

recruiting one person yep how cool is

that like this shouldn't be seen as a

negative it like an extreme positive

it's like a golden what is it Willy

Wonka ticket and and even if you are

technical yourself or sometimes people

are medium technical like so I I was a

technical CEO but I still tremendously

benefited by having an additional

technical co-founder and so this is also

a thing where you're not like okay well

I you know I can kind of I can kind of

okay that doesn't

count there's actually tremendous

benefits from having someone again who

cares as much as a Founder who's commit

as much as a founder and who's at you

know at the top of the game like a 10x

engineer on a Founder level you're

unstoppable and what's weird is

sometimes we had competitors in in my

startups whose teams were constructed

this way horrible Tech talent

and it was funny in hindsight because we

never had to be worried they could raise

more money they could have nicer office

they could have more

employees they could have cooler people

using their it didn't matter like having

better engineering is the gift that

gives you more shots every day even if

you need to Pivot no matter what no

matter what happens good or bad you're

in a better position a better position

to react to these changes yes and I

think the even scarier thing about this

is that like when you start with a team

of business people assessing engineers

and they are naturally going to start by

hiring worse Engineers all of your

future Engineers

are exactly it compounds bad so okay so

all right Michael all right you guys

convinced me I guess whatever but I

don't you know

sure guy you know I guess that's a point

you can make I don't know but Michael I

don't know anyone where do I find these

people yeah how again that's what we

always say in these conversations so how

what is your response when they tell you

that so the first thing is that like who

are you disqualifying and why I can't

tell you how many business people told

me well I obviously need a CTO with 10

years of experience and who've managed

teams of at least 50 to 100 and I'm like

you're 23 years old with no years of

experience why do you need that and

they're like well because you know when

we launch this thing's going to get big

just like come on so first you might be

disqualifying great people don't do that

and so let's say you don't know them

sometimes the number one thing to do if

you're in this position is to not start

the company right now is to go get a job

at a startup is to go change the people

you know and what's so interesting is

that like sometimes taking that step

sideways is the easiest and best path to

starting Journey with the highest

likelihood of success well here's the

thought experiment I encourage people to

do visualize the best person you have

ever worked with either in school or in

your job the best engineer that everyone

knows is the best person yes can you

visualize someone okay can you get that

person to be your co-founder and often

people are like oh yeah no they would

never they would never work with me what

do you mean man or like they're making

lots of money yeah and again I would

just stop right there and be like well

why have you talked to them and they're

like no they would like basically folks

put up the barriers yes to negotiate

against themselves yes right out of the

gate and again if we Zoom all the way

out yes so you want to start a company

you want to do something big but you

won't actually even bother to try to

recruit the most obvious person that's a

candidate that you know but what if they

say no or you talk to them and they're

like no I don't think so um what often

happens again to go deep on this is that

the way they'll pitch the person is

they'll pitch them their idea they be

like I'm an idea guy I've got a great

idea do you want to be my like worker be

to go do all my ideas and of course the

person that's the best person you've

ever worked with does not want to sit in

a cage no and do all of the work that

you give them no and instead I'm like

well have you asked them what if they

have startup ideas yeah and then you

sell yourself where you can come

together come up with the idea together

yeah as co-owners and it's shocking how

often that appears to have never

occurred to someone like they think the

idea of finding a tech co-founder is to

find someone who will basically submit

to their whims and be like their like

assistant to find an employee yeah and

that's not the move man trying to find a

partner you know it's funny because my

dad would say this to me about my

co-founder Justin Khan he was like you

know Michael Justin's an amazing

recruiter and I always thought I was

like what's weird is like I think if

you're recruited by a good recruiter you

don't even realize they're a good

recruiter right but like in hindsight

I'm like all right so we got me Emmit

and Kyle to work for him well not work

for him but to be his co-founders in a

startup where he was wearing a camera on

his side streaming his live 247 named

after him yes named after named

Justin.tv do you want to work up my

startup yes it's me yes and and

and he had raised 50,000

seems like a great deal Michael yeah

right and so it's like okay well like

how did he build that team like you know

it comes back to like you want to sting

yourself as a business person go do

that like that's people should be

impressed I'm

impressed you're a great business and

hey they're working on your idea let's

even I promise you I have no idea well I

you know I'll tell you what he promise

me it wasn't that the idea was going to

work like

it was the adventure okay it was the

adventure and like I think what's so

interesting when people like don't ask

their

friend and they assume oh but they work

at this company they're never going to

do it da D it's like they don't realize

you're offering Adventure you're

offering the unknown an adventure isn't

here's my idea for a social network for

dogs will you build my website no let's

build a company together together yes

that's Adventure yes and um what's crazy

is like when you're pitching Adventure

there aren't a lot of there aren't a lot

of Alternatives most people don't have

six Adventures on the play how often

does any one person get pitched

Adventure yeah I know it's usually

Adventure or

like so you know it's a good pitch it's

a good pitch so anyways right I think

that um we're trying you know I think

that there's like I'll say this right

I'm a business guy right I think YC has

a lot of messaging that's like yeah our

business guy is important D like you

don't need them I agree you don't need

them but I will say this um there are a

lot of very successful non-technical

people in our Network that do amazing

work and I think one of the things that

if you want to learn from them we're

trying to give you one of the most

important patterns we see from those

folks they're great recruiters and they

they do this thought experiment of who's

the best person in the world and they

find a way to get that person to work

with them that's bending the universe to

your will is what that is so you should

hold yourself to their standard and

maybe you'll get their success

all right thanks D

[Music]

thanks