Noob with a high potential profit idea.. in need of advice..- Heavy traffic expected -

I have an idea for a website that I am willing to invest any amount of money in to have it created successfully. Fortunately for me, funding will not be an obstacle. However, I do not have anywhere near the technical knowledge needed to create my idea myself.

I simply don't know where to start. So, I have been been researching developer companies such as ELance.com / Freelancer.com etc.. Having never been through this process, I am unsure if this is the right route to take. Also, I am very hesitant to disclose the details of my website to potential developers (even if I have them sign a NDA). That is a barrier as well.

So, I ask you this - If you had an idea for a website that you knew would go viral and make millions if created successfully, how would you go about getting it created if you didn't have any of the skills needed to create it?

I apologize in advance if this is not the right place to post this type of thing. I am new to this forum. Please let me know if you need any information to better help me.

Much appreciated.

Everyone loves their own idea - and believes that it will make them rich.

It's lots of fun building your product and then seeing your idea move from concept to reality. Problem is - that can cost lots of money and never return anything. "build it and they will come" doesn't work as well as all the hype / Hollywood storytellers would like many to believe.

Save your money and validate the business model.

What does this mean? At a 50K level, it means figure out who really wants what you offer, how much they care about it, and how much are they willing to pay. If demand + propensity to pay exceeds operating expenses (or returns enough based on what you believe is financially feasible) then you have a go.

And by "figure out" it means actually talking to people to validate your assumptions. features. How the product meets their pain.

Yes, its less sexy than building something up front, but it feeds directly into the build process and produces something that has a better chance of success.

If you're not the guy to do this, then find a partner who does. Hire a tech lead and / or find an advisor or interim CTO.

Instead of giving details about your project, you could do a list of your site's specifications that could help a developer evaluate time and cost.

For example, you could start with things like:

• Users: Amount of traffic expected. Registration/Login: required or not? Roles, how many? what functional requirements for them?
• Database, traffic: How big? Architechture, how complex? Content plan.
• Design specifications
• Budget


• (Later - Marketing Plan, Site maintenance)

Because you might not be familiar with the technologies involved, you could do a little research on similar sites (not same subject or functionality, but similar structure or flow), and name them when you start a new project on freelance sites. "I want a site with a similar complexity to nnn". "I expect a user base as big as nnn".

Also, since you mention these sites, you could do a search for the users with the best ratings, and contact them privately. Or you could start a small project, just for consulting, and choose a trustworthy freelancer to create you a 'spec sheet'.

Having said that, and although I've seen it happen, most serious developers would never steal your idea. Because an idea is just that, an idea, and not only you need the development afterwards, but also a strong marketing plan and resources to execute it. Of course there are exceptions, but you will need to partner with at least one more person to make it happen, and this little leap of faith is a requirement if you are not sure how to start things.

EDIT: I've just come across a design-related conversation that gave me an idea. If you have found someone you think might be a good fit, you can require him/her to sign a Non-disclosure agreement before you give them any specifics of your business idea.