News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

Can I buy your side project?

My business partner and I want to jump into a cool project. My partner is a software developer and I'm a marketer/sales guy.

We're looking for side projects with users that are not monetized or just not making a lot of money. Our ideal partner in this would be someone who loves building things and wants to get compensated for doing so, but isn't as excited about running a business and doing marketing.

Email in my bio

Thanks!

Grant

( 41 comments | 38 points | on HN )
Re:Can I buy your side project? by 1121redblackgo on Friday February 28, 2020 @05:50PM (#22447146)
Look I totally think that if you can negotiate with someone and come up with a deal that all parties find equitable, that that is legitimate business, and I'm not sure why you should meet resistance on that front.

However, I am not sure if this is the type of thread that I would like to see on hacker news.

Re:Can I buy your side project? by grantsch on Friday February 28, 2020 @06:30PM (#22447400)
ok thanks
Re:Can I buy your side project? by oiasdjfoiasd on Saturday February 29, 2020 @09:06AM (#22450594)
why?
Re:Can I buy your side project? by _bxg1 on Friday February 28, 2020 @04:35PM (#22446612)
This is a weird way to go about things, especially since most "side projects" these days are open-sourced by default. Why not come up with your own idea?
Re:Can I buy your side project? by biolurker1 on Friday February 28, 2020 @06:41PM (#22447463)
> most "side projects" these days are open-sourced by default

what???

Re:Can I buy your side project? by _bxg1 on Friday February 28, 2020 @07:24PM (#22447690)
*side projects that aren't already a for-profit endeavor (why would someone sell it if they're already making/planning to make money?)
Re:Can I buy your side project? by krzepah on Friday February 28, 2020 @07:55PM (#22447835)
Isn't there a bias because open-sources projects are those more easily seen ?

What happens to those projects that are put on "wait" ? I doubt everyone just put-on his work free of consequences

Re:Can I buy your side project? by _bxg1 on Saturday February 29, 2020 @12:36AM (#22449098)
Personally if I start hacking on something, and the idea doesn't immediately stand out as something I might want to build a business out of, it goes straight to a public GitHub repo.
Re:Can I buy your side project? by grantsch on Friday February 28, 2020 @08:00PM (#22447866)
this is a very smart comment
Re:Can I buy your side project? by grantsch on Friday February 28, 2020 @05:46PM (#22447132)
thanks for your input
Re:Can I buy your side project? by knowyourleadcom on Friday February 28, 2020 @09:01PM (#22448204)
Knowyourlead.com I work on a team of engineers with a few side projects if interested. [email protected]

Www.knowyourlead.com you can get a instant trial and play with it but Haven’t gone live yet (turned on payments, finalized marketing messaging), business is proven by high priced competitors with a lot of overhead and I was taking it the low over head automated route. Was going to clean up a few things and release in April.

Re:Can I buy your side project? by instaash on Sunday March 01, 2020 @10:49PM (#22461508)
Would you be interested in investing in a invention that I do not have any money to get started better yet if you wanted to just pay me for my idea and only when you start making money on it I would be happy with 5% my name is Ashley and my email is [email protected] if your interested.
Re:Can I buy your side project? by justanotherc on Saturday February 29, 2020 @05:30PM (#22453648)
I have an SEO based tool that's been limping along because I'm neither good at marketing nor interested in learning in order to scale it up. Its a customizable audit tool.

If that sounds interesting to you, get in touch with me and I can show you more.

Re:Can I buy your side project? by abhishek99 on Sunday March 01, 2020 @06:27PM (#22460155)
hey, I'm interested in checking this out. please contact me via the email in my bio.

Would love to buy this.

Re:Can I buy your side project? by justanotherc on Monday March 02, 2020 @10:41PM (#22471590)
Okay!
Re:Can I buy your side project? by grantsch on Sunday March 01, 2020 @01:55PM (#22458444)
ok email me
Re:Can I buy your side project? by justanotherc on Monday March 02, 2020 @10:41PM (#22471593)
Done!
Re:Can I buy your side project? by karmakaze on Friday February 28, 2020 @08:39PM (#22448084)
Have a look at gitgrep.com and quicklog.io and let me know if interested in either of those. I also run hackerer.news but that's a public service and to keep me from wasting too much Fomo time 'refreshing'.
Re:Can I buy your side project? by system2 on Friday February 28, 2020 @05:20PM (#22446945)
How can someone trust you with their valuable ideas and already in-motion projects?
Re:Can I buy your side project? by TuringNYC on Friday February 28, 2020 @06:03PM (#22447230)
Make sure there are clear milestones and metrics with an earn-in vesting schedule. The last thing you need is a stranger who immediately owns 25 or 50% of your company doing nothing except collecting rent 9or encumbering you’re business.

That said, if the arrangement can be structured to be fair to both parties this sounds like a great deal.

One particular thing I’d warn techies about are “business guys” asking for an ever longer list of uncompensated enhancements, only after which they put in their effort. If anyone suggests this — run. Both sides need skin in the game.

Re:Can I buy your side project? by grantsch on Friday February 28, 2020 @06:22PM (#22447360)
I agree w/ you on this.

Complicated earnout arrangements aren't something we're interested in.

We're interested in taking over businesses and using our skillset (marketing for me / software for my partner) to unlock value in the business

Re:Can I buy your side project? by grantsch on Friday February 28, 2020 @05:41PM (#22447088)
well there's a trade-off.

they get money in return.

Re:Can I buy your side project? by chad_strategic on Friday February 28, 2020 @07:04PM (#22447591)
I have a stock trading algo that tracks over 500 stocks profitably. Never been able to market it on the web. Even in today’s market. Website is in my profile, not for sale but can license it.
Re:Can I buy your side project? by hhmc on Saturday February 29, 2020 @07:52AM (#22450299)
Copy on your site like "Since we know that Gold, Silver and the VIX, along with market is completely manipulated, you have to find other measures to value stocks." sets off all sorts of red flags for me.
Re:Can I buy your side project? by chad_strategic on Saturday February 29, 2020 @12:40PM (#22451787)
Cheers. Markets are made for different points of views. It takes two to make a market.
Re:Can I buy your side project? by hhmc on Saturday February 29, 2020 @01:07PM (#22451946)
At the very least I would fix the grammar (or pay someone for a copy edit) if you want to be taken seriously.
Re:Can I buy your side project? by chad_strategic on Saturday February 29, 2020 @02:41PM (#22452552)
I will look into that, thanks. Grammar and marketing is not my strong suit. Finding patterns in markets, stocks, options and future that is where I excel. Does anybody know where I can find a good writer/editor.
Re:Can I buy your side project? by grantsch on Friday February 28, 2020 @07:19PM (#22447658)
if it's really profitable why don't you raise a fund
Re:Can I buy your side project? by skinnymuch on Friday February 28, 2020 @09:47PM (#22448393)
Aren’t there others similarly profitable? Doubt they can all raise funds. Or would want to.
Re:Can I buy your side project? by grantsch on Saturday February 29, 2020 @01:33PM (#22452094)
I’m confused

If you have a profitable strategy that scales up, raise capital to execute on it. Doesn’t seem too hard.

Re:Can I buy your side project? by skinnymuch on Sunday March 01, 2020 @07:04AM (#22456517)
What about bootstrapped companies? Basecamp technically took Bezos’ money, but pocketed it mostly. 1Password didn’t take “funding” until now, again, mostly to cash out.

Gumroad was scalable and makes a decent amount of money. It just wasn’t for the way the VCs wanted. So it didn’t work out that way, but the founder was still making mid 6 figures.

Re:Can I buy your side project? by grantsch on Sunday March 01, 2020 @10:53AM (#22457339)
if you had a machine that could profitably pick stocks why would you ever invest just your money (not a lot) vs other people’s money (could be infinite if your strategy scales)
Re:Can I buy your side project? by chad_strategic on Saturday February 29, 2020 @12:41PM (#22451798)
It if we’re only that easy.
Re:Can I buy your side project? by grantsch on Saturday February 29, 2020 @01:33PM (#22452100)
Email me your performance #s if this is real. I can help you.

Email address in my bio.

Thanks

Re:Can I buy your side project? by pidtuner on Monday March 02, 2020 @07:47AM (#22463891)
Mine is pidtuner.com, currently have 1000 engineers visiting each month. Not much, but quite specialized.
Re:Can I buy your side project? by dhruvkar on Sunday March 01, 2020 @08:40AM (#22456795)
keto.fm

please buy it from me. it's a content site but could evolve to be an indiehackers for keto. There wasn't a site out there last I checked.

Re:Can I buy your side project? by zapstar on Friday February 28, 2020 @04:02PM (#22446329)
What is your budget?
Re:Can I buy your side project? by grantsch on Friday February 28, 2020 @05:19PM (#22446935)
we have access to capital for the right thing
Re:Can I buy your side project? by TuringNYC on Friday February 28, 2020 @06:05PM (#22447243)
I am intrigued. It would help if you could share some success stories where you have done this, perhaps with before and after.
Re:Can I buy your side project? by grantsch on Friday February 28, 2020 @06:23PM (#22447364)
hey we can talk email me (in bio)
Re:Can I buy your side project? by i_am_nomad on Friday February 28, 2020 @04:29PM (#22446553)
They’ll pay in exposure.