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I started my current company as the sole founder in 2007 and it has been good so far. Compared to previous ventures where I was a co-founder, more of my energy

by ayh2 15y ago

I started my current company as the sole founder in 2007 and it has been good so far. Compared to previous ventures where I was a co-founder, more of my energy is spent on building the business as opposed to too much discussions. However, this time around, I need to pay special attention to asking for feedback and be exceptionally open to it. Often times, feedback contradicts each other and I'm glad I can make the final decision by arguing just with myself. So much more efficient. The journey is very lonely though and it takes a lot more work. Fighting alone is not easy.

singlefounder 15y ago
I think the last part is what really scares investors / incubators / etc. when it comes to single cofounders... "Fighting alone is not easy" but if you have the experience, vision, etc. it's still possible to pull off. At least that's what I tell myself. It sounds like you moved from a tech co-founder to a biz / tech founder. Is this a fair summary? Would be curious to hear more!
- ayh2 15y ago
  I doubled majored in ComSci and Economics so I'm a little bit of both. Tech is definitely the half that I enjoy more. There are a lot of good resources about the biz side of things for consumer internet startups, so learning about that has not been too difficult. However, I do try to hire more out-going people to complement me. IE, I push my team to connect with people at meetups more than I push myself :P There are talented people out there and I've found it is possible to recruit those who complement me without making everyone co-founders. Once the startup has gotten some traction, recruiting and everything else get easier. If you have a tech background yourself, you may not need co-founders to get to that stage.
  - singlefounder 15y ago
    I always thought it was easier for tech-focused founders because of this. I feel like learning the business side is easier than the tech side, but I imagine this is a function of the type of person I am. Thanks for the positive response!

by ayh2 15y ago

singlefounder 15y ago

I think the last part is what really scares investors / incubators / etc. when it comes to single cofounders... "Fighting alone is not easy" but if you have the experience, vision, etc. it's still possible to pull off. At least that's what I tell myself. It sounds like you moved from a tech co-founder to a biz / tech founder. Is this a fair summary? Would be curious to hear more!

ayh2 15y ago
I doubled majored in ComSci and Economics so I'm a little bit of both. Tech is definitely the half that I enjoy more. There are a lot of good resources about the biz side of things for consumer internet startups, so learning about that has not been too difficult. However, I do try to hire more out-going people to complement me. IE, I push my team to connect with people at meetups more than I push myself :P There are talented people out there and I've found it is possible to recruit those who complement me without making everyone co-founders. Once the startup has gotten some traction, recruiting and everything else get easier. If you have a tech background yourself, you may not need co-founders to get to that stage.
- singlefounder 15y ago
  I always thought it was easier for tech-focused founders because of this. I feel like learning the business side is easier than the tech side, but I imagine this is a function of the type of person I am. Thanks for the positive response!