Ask HN: Non tech co founder
He hasn't defined his role, but has said he is the "Founder", and has said that he should haven't to argue with partners to get his point across.
Is asking what his role will be a valid question? He answered that question with a question:
"what do you think it will be? I'm the founder haha my role is everything"...
He also has never written a line of code, and has said he doesn't have time, but has said that he knows how to manage developers.
He wants to outsource all development to India.
He claims the product is "already designed", just step 2 is developing it.
He keeps talking about building a unified platform with API's.
I'm tempted to ask him to define an API, but wouldn't want to upset him.
I've also told him that without working fulltime, the thing would take at least 9 months to develop. He counters, saying that if we can increase head count, we cut the time in half.
"theoretically, if there are 2 of you, we can cut the time in half".
After that, I pointed him to read the book "Mythical man month".
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[ 3.2 ms ] story [ 61.7 ms ] thread"He also has never written a line of code, and has said he doesn't have time, but has said that he knows how to manage developers.
He wants to outsource all development to India.
He claims the product is "already designed", just step 2 is developing it."
This is to me highlights the fact he doesn't really understand how software products are developed.
Keep in mind this isn't yet a real company. Just a google drive with documents.
Although this is really hard because people show their truest faces when shit goes south. So you won't know for sure unless this is someone who you've spent and enjoyed spending lots of time with for a while.
After spending time thinking critically about the past year, here are some rough open-ended questions I've come up with that I think would shed light into one's core values.
How do you approach solving a problem (any size, scope)? What locus of control do you believe in? Is there value in rolling up your sleeves?
He said the way I asked it made him offended.
My view is that I touched on one of his weaknesses and it made him insecure about his position in the business.
Don't do it.
Money brings out the worst in people.
Arguing is healthy. Just depends on how it comes & what it's over. Obviously, if your relationship deteriorates to the point that you are arguing for little value then that's bad - I do think arguing early is better than arguing late. It'll be insightful for you and him, to be honest. You'll learn a little more about yourself and a lot more about him in how the argument progresses and more importantly, how it ends.
All non-tech founders are insecure about their position in the business. I think any competent non-tech founder should be insecure about their position imo, if there is a component of technology to the business.
I was too, so I just kept working and supporting in as many ways as I could think of.
Thankfully, our product was online-to-offline, so there was plenty of work to be done.
But don't do it.
Such a red flag. Even if he is a great ... whatever this attitude is a big red flag. You won't be able to work this guy.
In fact I've usually had trouble with founders that were so slick and evasive I didn't notice they were not on the same page until too late. Later I learned they were listening at doors, making comments to team members to divide us, and even in one case following me to a dinner with an old friend (to make sure I wasn't being recruited).
So an obvious non-fit like describe by the OP is maybe an easier situation.
1) If you are tech co-founder, then he has to be a marketing & sales co-founder. You no need second tech founder in most cases.
2) The roles of each founders in a startup have to be defined before you've started.
3) "He wants to outsource all development to India" - that's a VERY BAD idea.
Good Luck!
If you are afraid to speak your mind, run. It's going to get worse.
It sounds like he wants to get others to do all the work and reap all the benefits because he is the "idea guy".
I would move on.
Is antithetical to him claiming that "he knows how to manage developers." Nine women can't make a baby in 1 month.
I hate arguing online because it is almost always a form of fighting with people over emotional bullshit. But I have zero problem with the other definition of arguing: debating ideas to get at the truth.
You can't build a solid company if you cannot do that.
Don't start a company with someone whose precious feelings come ahead of clear communication. That's insanity.
In certain situations, non-technical co-founders will have more work on their plate than the engineers. In other situations, they'll have very little to do.
It sounds like you're building the kind of product where engineering is most of the work. But it's still worth asking yourself: is engineering going to end up giving you a real competitive edge in your market? Or is it the marketing, operations, sales, or other back-of-house departments that will drive your business? If the former, maybe you don't need the founder. If the latter, than his might be the most important role.
Also, you should ask him to define API, then let him go for being a bad match for the project due to lack of technical skills. Waste no time on such people.
He likes to use buzz words a lot. I think he should be a tech recruiter/salesman