Re:“Startup” asks internship applicant to build their app be...
by scarface74 on Thursday October 26, 2017 @02:23PM
(#15561584)
He asked if you should make them a cofounder. In the context of software development, what's the difference between sharing the risk with an investor and then using the money to hire an employee and finding someone to work with you for no pay but making them a cofounder? Either way the risk and rewards are shared with someone who can see potential upside and downside.
If a trusted friend with a good idea wanted me to "invest" in their software idea, I would be much more willing to invest the time for development than enough money to hire a developer. Especially if I could do that and work.
Re:“Startup” asks internship applicant to build their app be...
by astura on Thursday October 26, 2017 @03:41PM
(#15562277)
I did not say an "investment" doesn't include an investment in labor, of certainly does.
The context was "bootstrap without investment." The answer is, you don't, you either invest yourself (capital or labor) or you look for investors. You don't "make someone a co-founder," that strongly implies that they are a passive actor, you look for someone willing in invest, you look for someone looking to start a company. You don't have "employment agreements," you have "business partnership."
You don't hire people if you can't afford to pay them, holy shit.
"Hi, you mind cleaning my house? I'm a college student so I can't afford to pay you but I might get a job when I'm out of school, so I'll think about paying you then."
What you really are looking for if you are at that "I got an idea but no business plan" stage is investor(s). This could be a bank or one or more people, but these people wouldn't be employees.
Realistically though, you won't proceed with your crackpot idea as you realize "starting a business" is not "finding someone to work for you for free", ie, having them take on all the risk just so you can reap the rewards.