The journey from a want-to-be entrepreneur to an entrepreneur, followed by being a successful entrepreneur is indeed one that needs a lot of knowledge, patience, and skills. Undoubtedly for a startup, you need a team to look after the various departments. Don’t worry, a founder not necessarily can be masters in everything (jack of all and master in one or two can work).
The era is changing the way businesses used to be done. This is the age of technology and this indeed is the reason that we are finding numerous tech startups flooding the market. Most of these are started by non-tech geeks, who have ideas. This is where the need for a tech co-founder arises.
How to find the right technical partner?
Despite an ocean of tech savvy people, finding this one, in particular, is a tough key these days. Reason being, the quality software engineers have numerous offers from some remarkable companies, which offer them a six-figure salary with few other perks and the remaining almost don’t match your requirements.
Out of these, there are a few who have all the guts to say a no. These are the people who have their own ideas, and they know that working on it, and further pitching the same to some investor will head them towards their own startup. The quest begins here as now you have to explore the remaining.
Let us accept that most of the startup founders have a presumption that for their great idea, they’ll hire a tech founder in no time. Moving further, out of the blues, the magic wand will show the miracle, and a product will eventually get them a good financer that will help them build a good startup. Ok folks, sounds really good, and all the best for the same.
You can’t just randomly hit the bush. Before finalizing a technical partner for your startup, you need to be sure, if he is qualified enough, understands the concept, is passionate about the idea, and believes that with same, he can create a benchmark.
1. Do you have the experience or the expertise required for the work?
The first and the most basic question should be whether if the individual has required experience and skills to work on your idea. Ask him if he has worked on any project linked with same, and if he is all prepared (skills and expertise) to handle the project. Always remember that creating something isn’t all, the major task begins with maintaining the same tech standards with moving time and with the increasing database.
The moment you ask him about the experience and the expertise, your primary focus should be on the tasks that need to be looked after once the project steps out from just the papers. The most crucial role played by the technical department is maintaining and keeping the standards introduced, well at their place.
2. What are your expectations from the project?
This question won’t just help you in understanding his knowledge base but will also give you a sneak into the potential tech growth of your startup.
While asking about the expectations, it isn’t about the return he is expecting on a personal scale but on the project in whole. With this question, you’ll be able to understand the depth of his knowledge and also how sincere and passionate he is for the project. Always remember, you are coming with the startup because you believe in your idea, be sure that even your technical partner believes in same.
The belief in return will help you take your business to entirely new level.
3. Do you have knowledge about the modern trends in technology?
Before finalizing a technical partner for your startup, you need to be sure that he is updated with the current trends in technology and market. He is well aware of the requirements of the era, which can help you get the attention of your potential clients and further keep them with you, so as to sustain in the growing market.
Knowledge about the modern tech trends and the stream you are working for is a must. An outdated idea or product has no space in today’s fast growing competitive market. You need to be sure about the same, as this will undoubtedly help you and the company to sustain and grow in the market.
4. Can you provide human resources at the right time for the right place?
You need to understand that a business is a team work. When it is about hiring a technical partner, ask him if he’d be able to hire the right people at right time and at the right place.
Accept the fact that you aren’t technically sound enough to go with hiring a technical team. It is something that your tech partner can do better than you. So, be sure that he is capable enough to do it better. This not only includes hiring the team but also about taking care of the workflow.
Remember one thing that if the potential technical partner is sitting in front of you, it’s because he likes the idea. The tech savvy group does get paid well but at the same time, they too have the thirst to be a co-founder for a good startup.
Never let your need to have the same person take the charge, he too needs you and your idea. This question is very important as these people have the knowledge of finding and managing the codes more than finding and managing the people.
So before you get to any conclusion, make sure you’ve asked this question.
5. Can you find and create a solution that fits the moment?
Just the way a weapon can’t be used to defeat all kinds of enemies, you can’t use a single solution to overcome all kinds of problems (I accept this probably is a bad example). However, the former can still be at times adjusted, but there is no scope of compromise for the later.
Before getting to any conclusion, try to unleash if your potential technical partner will be able to get the right resource at the right place and at the time they are needed.
6. Can you work and get the things done simultaneously adhering to the deadlines?
Be it a startup or any established business, deadlines are something you can’t compromise with. Ask your technical partner if he is the one who works according to deadlines, without adjusting for the quality of work. Ask him if he is feasible with the work hours required and understands the responsibilities that follow being a technical partner.
As a technical partner, he needs to look after all the activities that involve technology in it. And this all needs to be done adhering to the deadlines. You need to ask him, whether or not he is prepared to work forgetting the tickling arrows of a clock so as to get the things done exactly on time (there is no harm if they finish before the deadlines).
7. What are your personal expectations?
This is kind of important and needs to be talked in the very beginning (once you start having a thought that the individual is capable). By asking this question you can get the things cleared in the very beginning about the way it is supposed to go ahead.
I just mean to say that having someone for just equity might not be good. However, here you just need to check whether if he wants something more than equity.
8. Are you a business minded tech person?
The answer to this question should be a yes. Before you ask, “I am business minded, he just needs to think tech” I would like to clarify. It isn’t like that you need him to look after the business profit and other things, but he must keep these in mind. A business minded tech guy is undoubtedly a gem for your startup.
9. What is your working style?
The question might work like a marble box for you, but it is of high importance. Ask him the way he plans the work and if the same remains the way it was planned by the end? Is he a kind of person who likes doing things for hours, or he take breaks at short intervals? Once you’ll get to know about the way he works, you can have a clear idea about the future of your project and the partnership.
10. Have you ever built anything just because you wanted?
This one is kind of an indirect question. The intention behind asking this is to know if the individual is truly a tech lover. A hardcore tech lover will never let his skills wait till he finds a new project. If your potential tech partner has ever done any such thing and it is worth all the appreciation, you have the right person sitting in front of you.
11. Do you have expertise in any specific language?
You definitely don’t need ‘jack of all and master of none’ for your start up. The starting few years are very crucial for a business and moreover for the tech co-founder. You need to ask him and be sure that he owns expertise in any of the languages.
Let us take the example of the renowned social networking site Facebook. Though the website now is using different languages for programming but it still has a major section influenced by PHP.
So, despite being last in our list, it need not be missed. You need to be sure that your partner has expertise in any one particular language and can work on any issue even if asked to do at midnight.
Conclusion
These were some of the questions you need to ask your potential technical partner. Asking these questions will indeed help you in finding the best technical partner for your startup.
Before concluding I would just say, whatever it is that you are planning; a website with all potential to be another benchmark, a mobile application that will rule the brains and hearts of population, or a software providing ease. The idea or you alone can’t attain the desired targets. The implementation, a team, and a vision is necessary. After all, it’s a vision that makes an entrepreneur stand apart from the rest.
