Ask HN: single founder companies and startups?

Re:Ask HN: single founder companies and startups? by ayh2 on Tuesday December 13, 2011 @06:03AM (#3347172)

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.

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Re:Ask HN: single founder companies and startups? by singlefounder on Tuesday December 13, 2011 @10:04AM (#3347674)

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!

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Re:Ask HN: single founder companies and startups? by ayh2 on Tuesday December 13, 2011 @08:09PM (#3350148)

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.

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Re:Ask HN: single founder companies and startups? by singlefounder on Wednesday December 14, 2011 @11:11PM (#3354992)

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!

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