I have money and time, how do I make the jump to tech?
From the time I wake up in the morning until night, I check Hacker News, Techcruch and Engadget about 10 times. I have about 25 ideas for apps and start-ups and I have the resources to fund ventures (low six figures) and dedicate time to feeding them. But I don't know where to start. And I have no tech or programming background beyond end-user enthusiasm and early adopter status.
I live in Irvine, CA.
Guidance?
5 comments
[ 4.3 ms ] story [ 25.5 ms ] threadOnce you have enough information on the toosl they use, go reasearch those tools and methodologies. Find the user groups and forums. Look at how to download and install their tools and runn through youtube and google to find tutorials. Buy some books for the major coding platforms you are interested in (iPhone sdk, Android, etc.) start going through the tutorial books.
You check tech sites way too much, so you might want to set a hard time limit on how much time a day you spend browsing.
Make sure you "produce" something every day. Whether it is a simple table view app or a sprite animation, have something that you can look back on at the end of the day that works. This helps keep you moving forward, and gives you the fulfillment of building something. You might not always build something relevant, but it is important to do it.
That's all I have right now. Good luck!
1) You wont blow through your (low six figures), and produce little to show.
2) Allow you to focus your 25 ideas into the 1 thing that you REALLY want to work on.
3) Gain expertise in being a generalists/I will do anything for this to succeed.
4) You wont feel the exact ups-and-downs of a startup founder, but you will get a good view as to what it is like.
Besides that, when you are not getting [insert anything company founders need], I would learn how to code in the evenings, and possibly build a simple app or two on your own. Even if you are not going to be technical in your startup an Engineer/Co-Founder/Investor/[Insert Name Here] will view you as more credible and serious, not just a guy with 25 ideas.
Hope this helps.
Either way, it might help to get a bit of technical experience. If you want to start making these apps yourself, and I think that might be a good idea, think of the simplest possible one and try making it.
This is a good article I read earlier: http://www.jakelevine.me/blog/2013/03/dont-learn-how-to-code...
Many people have done this before you - gone from zero to coder - especially if you have the time and motivation.
But I can tell you that this sort of thing is a lot easier if you have someone to help you out with it or at least provide you with support and motivation.
Alternatively, if you have loads of money, you might want to hire a professional to make you a prototype. Then, when that's done, try selling it. When that's done, hire full-time staff to keep driving the product forward and selling it.
But if you're looking to get involved yourself (it can be pretty fun!) in the dev - give it a go ;)
Good luck :)