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Ask HN: What is the Best Method of finding a Co-Founder?

4 points by phereford ↗ HN
I have just started prototyping out my initial MVP after gathering user stories. While I have what it takes to do some solid coding, my UI/UX experience is lacking. What is the best way to find a local UI/UX person that is looking to jump on board with a startup for sweat equity?

I have attended various events and talked to several people but haven't really found what I am looking for just yet. Are there avenues of recruitment that people have had great success with?

Thanks!

12 comments

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ig1
Hackdays, best way to find someone you gel with is to build something with them
phereford
Thats honestly what I figured. I have been going to hackfests (every 1st tuesday) for the past 2 months. No luck yet, but I guess I'll keep at it.

Thanks!

ig1
Hackdays and Hackfests aren't really the same things.

Hackdays typically are much longer events running over 1.5-2.5 days where you generally build something from scratch.

There are even some focused specifically on people who want to build startups (StartupWeeekend and Launch48 being the main two).

curenote
I'm curious as to what these "hackfests" you refer to are. Are they meetups from meetup.com in your area? I'm in a similar situation, a UI designer looking for a developer co-founder and haven't found any luck either.
phereford
Yep. In most areas, there are Hackfests where developers of a particular language get together and just code.

In Boston, there are tons of hackfests, and various other entrepreneurial events that can help anyone find a co-founder, I just haven't had any luck yet ;)

rajdesai225
Finding a business partner (co founder) is just like finding a life partner. You have to start out with a business date and see if you can take the relationship to the next level. Running a business is all about conviction and hard work. You will go through lots and lots of ups and downs and for better or worst your business partner will be there to share your burden. You should try to get a co-founder with skill-set that is different from yours. So, if you are a coder, try to bring someone who is great at sales and marketing especially with user acquisition experience. Two hackers are good but diversity in co-founder is even better! Especially, if you can get someone with user acquisition experience upfront, it will make all the difference. Building some thing that every one wants is the hardest thing to do so in a team try having one person focused on building the product and the second person on bringing users to test it.
bnorton
How about the people that don't like or dont have time for said hackfests, how else would one meet someone like this?

I feel that hackfests/days are not really all that enjoyable but am just as likely to be prime co-founder material...

phereford
There should be non hackfest events that you should be going to if you are interested in startups (i.e. networking events, tweetups, etc).

I don't have much free time on my hands either, but I am still actively going to these events because its how you meet people interested in startups.

ig1
The only way you'll know if you're likely to be a good match with someone is if you spend time coding, etc. with them. Hackdays are a good place to do that.

Starting a company with someone you've not worked with before is like getting married to someone you've never dated before.

tonyjwang
www.founderdating.com
phereford
I applied. I am not getting my hopes up for this, but the design makes it feel promising ;)
hyuuu
I am working on a tool that addresses your problem, quite exactly. Perhaps we can chat? Contact me at wahyu at picocrew dot com