You hired a non technical friend of yours in your startup, does that has anything to do with startup progress? The question is straightforward to most of you.. when should a startup "could" hire non technical person when in their struggling phase ?
You know what the problem is with your statement? It's not he fact that you refer to this potential employee as "non technical" but as a "friend". Yes you should enjoy to work with whomever you hire, but you shouldn't be lazy about their skill set. If the person is a designer, try to get the BEST designer — not a friend. If the person does business, try to attract the best businessperson — not a friend.<p>The curse of twentysomethings is to hire their best friends. They feel insecure and are afraid of failure. Hire someone great that you aren't afraid to fire. By the way this doesn't just apply to tech startups — it can apply to a band or staffing a restaurant.
It all depends on your situation.<p>Do you have ~1 year of salary for a new employee in the bank? You're probably doing alright then, and can definitely afford the risk. "1 year of salary" is, of course, just a suggestion, but you don't want to hire someone without looking really deeply at how it will affect your finances if you are in a "struggling" phase.<p>Do you spend an inordinate amount of time doing non-technical tasks that take away from your product? If so, a designer/salesperson/client-wrangler can be an extremely valuable asset in even a small company.<p>Essentially, if they fit a need you think you have in your business, there's nothing wrong with a hire. Don't just hire a friend because your friend needs a job though - that's a sure-fire recipe for disaster.
The friend has to be a real hustler, great in communication, specially written, should have a knack for closing deals and is willing to help in documentation and testing.
If they have nothing to bring to the start-up then why hire them at all?<p>However if they have skills that other team members don't have they could be a valuable addition. The right time to hire them is when you realise the level of value they would bring is at least 2x upwards of their salary.