"If you rely too much on your design skills, you'll end up creating something like Gowalla" ...or you can build something like Kickstarter, which is a fantastic company, doing amazing things for others, and something that people want?

You can name plenty of companies with designer founders that haven't IPOed in the same breath that you name plenty of companies who had developer founders who haven't either. It's a bit unfair to say just because you rely on one aspect, you'll end up like a couple companies that have failed.