Ask HN: How To Use My Great Idea?
Like many others, I believe I have a really good idea for a start-up. I won't go into detail, but having done some research I've seen there's noone else doing this, and I think it's a product which can be widely used.
The problem is, I don't have the skills to make it. It'd include quite a lot of features, most of which would have to be custom-made, in languages I don't speak. So I have a few options:
-Just doing it, and seeing where it ends. Problem is that I don't have much time, and I'm already trying to get more skills in another language.
-Find a more technical co-founder. I'm just afraid, wouldn't this completely sideline me? I mean, I have clear ideas about what I want and stuff, but as long as the product is being developed all I could do is ask the co-founder how it's going, and giving some of my input. I'm afraid it'd feel like it's not my thing anymore. Also, I feel unsuitable for the business-side of things. No experience, still very young, nowhere near any kind of scene.
-Just throw the idea out there for anyone who wants to use it, and move on to something which suits better. I'd feel like I throw away a great idea, and not only that, it's my idea.
Any idea what I should or shouldn't do?
12 comments
[ 3.5 ms ] story [ 40.7 ms ] threadIf you think the idea is really that great, don't throw it away, find a way to make it work :)
Just my 2cents.
Startups and ideas need time to change or pivot. If you're outsourcing, you're basically saying build this big blue box, and tomorrow (or 3 months later) you'll need to build a small red turtle and be stuck with code you can't use, maintain, or change without paying someone else.
The next thing you can do is to run some tests to validate your target market. There are a plethora of ways to do this from interacting with potential customers to adwords'ing a custom landing page. It really just depends on the idea you want to test.
The way you mention finding a technical cofounder sounds an awful lot like finding someone to do all the work for you. That is a fool's errand. If you don't have time to invest in it yourself, you're not going to own any part of it. Developing an app, and more specifically, a business, takes a HUGE time investment. You've got to be committed.
That's exactly what I'm afraid of: I don't want to have someone doing all the work for me. It's my idea, I want to take ownership of it.
How would I go about talking to people about it? There are few people whom I personally know which would be relevant to talk to. I'd rather not post the whole idea on HN, as there are probably loads of people who can make this in a fraction of the time it would take me. Should I just email random people who I come across on the net who could give me useful advice? Doesn't feel like a great idea either.
1) Been created to some degree before, and 2) Been thought about by other people 100x more.
Ask yourself who you'd sell this product/service to and try to track those people down. This isn't development, this is marketing, and it's not always easy. And yes, sometimes emailing people out of the blue works well too. If you can find someone involved in your market, such as a blogger, they might be able to provide excellent advice (just be sure to be helpful in return).
I believe you're making some assumptions that simply aren't true. Screaming your ideas from the hilltops is actually a good idea. People will approach you who can help, people will offer advice and suggestions, etc.
No one is going to steal your idea, and most people honestly won't care. Just as plants can't grow in a closet, ideas can't grow unless they the see the light of scrutiny of people smarter than you.