Functional model of co-founders work


1

Here's the problem for software development startup.

We're two. One can do a decent hard-skill programming. The other one don't know anything, except he has some capital ( approx. less than 10k, in local figures - average salary for 1 year / person ), and we're eager to cooperate and build something.

Could you help us with some functional model of co-working ? Is there a neccesity for non-skill guy to learn some hard skill, or he just pays for others work ?

Software Co-Founder Management Business Development

asked Dec 12 '12 at 19:13
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Peter
6 points

2 Answers


2

I am always rooting for the technical founder. If money is all your co-founder has to offer, and it's only 10k per year, I suggest you give him a very small cut, between 10% and 15%. If he has marketing skills, they won't even come into play until your product is online to show off to friends & family, which could take a year or longer... your friend is more like an investor than a partner, and he should be treated as such. Partners can destroy a company when there are disputes, but investors trust the technical founder to make all of the important decisions, and gives advice as a mentor as well. All non-technical founders I have had experience with wants control, has too many ideas, doesn't really understand the market at all, and expects everything to be built quickly & easily. My point is simple, if you doubt your partners abilities, if he has any at all, he does not belong in your company as a partner, but instead as an investor. I learned this the hard way, on more than one occasion.

answered Dec 13 '12 at 10:40
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Mark Entingh
25 points

1

It isn't necessary for both to have technical skills. It is much better if one does the initial tech work and one does the other stuff like marketing, sales, etc, i.e. all the business stuff.

Any cash investment into the business should be to help the business grow. It is not for either party to withdraw as payment.

You can have any arrangement you want, but for simplicity you could have 50:50 equity split, where one partner puts in some working capital and does the business side of things, while the other partner works on the technical side. The working capital can be a loan to the business or an investment, depending on the relative amount of effort each party is putting in. IMHO it would be better as a loan and both parties put on equal effort, assuming they both have the required skills.

answered Dec 12 '12 at 19:40
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Steve Jones
3,239 points

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