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Our startup is failing, but we have a powerful team

14 points by failbomber ↗ HN
Posting from a throwaway:

Our startup is failing. Or at least it will if current acquisition talks fall through. We're working for a niche 3-year-old social network with a well-developed API and platform for web, iOS, and Android. Our userbase may have peaked somewhere around 60,000 unique users. W've built some great software and iterated at break-neck speed, but the business model may just not be good enough. We all know one thing works extremely well in our company: the dev team (including our great designer/co-founder/CTO). We are lean. One UX/UI designer, one API dev, one front-end web dev, one iOS dev, and one Android dev. We're all cross-disciplined and can help each other. We've all got a good eye for platform-specific design. We work extremely well together, and our first choice if the business fails is to somehow stay together as a team.

My question to HN: In the real world, what is the best way for a great team to stick together? We've talked of potentially starting our own LLC and doing client work until we can build the next great product, but I don't know if that's a realistic option. I feel like we would be a great fit for new businesses who need a full modern platform built out for web and mobile, but my fear is that client work will cause us to become fragmented, essentially drifting apart as we try to scratch together a living as individual freelancers.

14 comments

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GFischer
Why do you think you would you drift apart if you take on client work?

I think there's strong demand for iOS and Android dev, you probably can work out if you're good at that.

You could take on client work and meanwhile try to work out a pivot for your startup? I went to a talk by a succesful company that did just that (they were failing, took on client work while working part-time on their products, then found an opportunity and gambled at the iPad launch, then became succesful and sold out).

It probably sucks to remove your focus from your startup, but it seems it's not going to grow in its current incarnation.

If you took on outside money, it's a whole different story.

Take it as random advice from a guy on the Internet that hasn't had a startup yet :) but I hope at least I asked some interesting questions.

randomflavor
I have a few startups with funding right after a great exit in NYC - and would love to engage a passionate team like yours. We are technical, lean, design and brand focussed. More b2b->consumer however. How do I message you?
ukcto
randomflavor, we're in a very similar situation. Exceptional engineering team, but the business is still not quite there. We're still working on our product, but have spare resources that we don't want to see go to waste. If interested, let me know how I can reach you.
randomflavor
Sure, send me a note: adam at lookbooks.com
ignasl
Do another startup :)
bicx
The quintessential Hacker News response! :D
soneca
YC is a good fit, no? A powerful team is all they look for. The odds are against you, but I would try, even without a strong idea.

In the meantime, doing client work sounds like a good idea. Why not realistic?

originalgremlin
We're a new startup looking for a few extra developers to help build a backend-as-a-service platform. You're a bit front-end heavy for our needs but we could still possibly absorb all of you. Check out http://www.storycloud.co/careers/ and reply to the email address at the bottom if it seems at all like something you would consider.
JSeymourATL
If you want to stay together as a team, shift into business development/sales mode now. Can you find 10 likely companies that can use your help? Pitch your services/skills on a contract basis. Have the team member best at interfacing with clients, start reaching out to top-decision makers. Everyone else, give him support. It's important this is a coordinated effort. Your start-up just pivoted.
Im_Talking
But you have 60,000 unique users that have-used/use your technology. Can't you contact them to determine how you can change to support them more fully? Or to determine, at least, why they are not utilizing your technology, and therefore, not paying enough to sustain your business?

I just think you have a goldmine there that can be accessed.

akg_67
Figure out how to make current startup financially viable, pivot, or consider pursuing another startup idea. I agree client/consulting work may make team drift apart as there is no cohesive vision in client work that can keep everyone excited about what they are doing. Also good product development team don't tend to make good service delivery team.

From personal experience, after our startup failure, we three founders tried to continue together with consulting but within a year we drifted apart. We were never able to pursue anything else together again afterward. We drifted apart geographically, career direction, and life stage.

The best outcome for you may be to, if everyone wants to stay together, brainstorm together on another startup idea and continue on.

spek-ops
If you are still checking this, could you please send me an email at [ roomsomewhere at gmail.com ] ?