I have my big idea, but I need help. I'm a decent coder, I coded my company's web-based accounting system & HR management platform...but it took me three years to complete. My big idea would be 2-3 times the size of that system and consist of several sub-systems. I've modeled the system structure, I know I need help to roll it out with any speed. I looked into applying to YC, but I'm a single founder & I'm a father in Florida with a 2 month old and a 2 year old, I can't move to the Bay Area for any significant amount of time.<p>I've hired freelancers over the years, never with great results (which is why I started learning to code in the first place). I figure I need a team of 2 to 4 developers and an experienced project manager. I don't have the deepest pockets. Which leads me to my questions:<p>- How do I build a development team?<p>- What are my expected personnel costs? Are there good developers to be had on a per project pay basis (assuming yes, where do I find them)?<p>- What would be an appealing pay offer/scheme(s) for good developers?<p>BTW - PHP is the language I know best and my current system is built on Joomla.
Look for a technical co-founder. A good developer would get to a minimum viable product quickly - probably in a fraction of the time you are estimating for the overall project. Find someone who will buy into your product and work for equity.<p>Don't let your existing programming skills restrict who you hire or the technical spec for the new product - you should concentrate on the marketing and sales end so that you have eager customers waiting for that MVP
Okay, I've spent the night considering what the MVP is, it will obviously still be tweaked, but I have a good base model & know my core valuation(s). Finding the right technical co-founder is the big question. I appreciate the offers of direct contact in this thread, but I think I need to get a good handle on how I select the right co-founder and what an appealing offer would be.<p>Has anybody ever searched for a tech co-founder? All the stories of founders finding each other I read seem to be magical, per-destined connections. I don't go to tech conferences, and I can't wait for the right one to come along (I'm on the bad side of 40).<p>Also, is an NDA standard practice in discussions with founder prospects?
I am in FL also and am well networked in the development community, if you would like to contact me, I may be able to point you in the right direction. My contact info is in my profile here in HN. It's worth a chat to network at the least.
Before investing lots of time and resources for this project , wouldn't it will be better to verify the idea first by MVP?<p>MVP you can easily create in 2-3 months for a big project.
Figure out how to create the first version with 1-2 people in 3-4 months. Figure out the core value proposition, create <i>just</i> that in the most elegantly simple way possible.<p>Launch it, get feedback, iterate until the end of time.
Firstly go buy Steve Blank's "The startup owners manual".<p>Secondly, you have a big idea, but what is the one thing that above all else will totally convince everyone to buy?
Web-based HR for SMEs? Well its the recruitment system that everyone fusses over.<p>Build that, in 1 month, with just a OpenID login and stripe integration.<p>If you cannot have 2 customers on there by June 30 giving you cash, its not a winner. Pivot.<p>Got 2 customers? Great. Get on AngelList and <i>then</i> you can afford to hire developers, be picky, and still not risk the roof over your kids head.<p>You are setting yourself up to spend a lot of money that should go on children's clothes and holidays, and throw it in a hole. It does sound a lot like you have made up your mind and want some justification. DOes your partner support this?
Please read the post recently about 40,000 USD and 100 USD.<p>Sorry if I sound harsh, but you most definitely do not have to build it all before it works.<p>And if you want to hire people or get funding, a working system with paying customers makes that orders of magnitude easier.
- <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Blank" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Blank</a>