[TAForObvReasons]

I think the problem as described is actually a team problem.

You don't have a good team without a vision leader who is articulating the ideas and steering the company. Like a boat with no captain, labor and capital resources are important but ultimately useless without a captain who has a vague idea of the endpoint and a sense for the roadmap. Try to dig into your collective social networks and see if you know anyone who has a vision but not the wherewithal to execute.

FWIW Money doesn't magically solve a problem, it merely exacerbates a situation. Talent doesn't solve a problem without a clear understanding of the problem being solved. As much as people on HN like to devalue the importance of ideas, it is an extremely important part of the process

[snarf21]

This is the most obvious issue. They don't have a great team. At best, they have potential great team members. A great team implies applying talent and a vision to solving problems. They can't come up with a problem to try to tackle. Most people here on HN have 7 problems they'd love to work on but don't have the time or resources. I also think it is a big challenge to pick a problem you don't understand or have no background knowledge about.

I'd suggest picking an industry with known inefficiencies (health care, education, etc.) and have all three go work at three different companies in that space for a year. Then come back and I'm sure lack of ideas won't be the issue.

Remember, ideas are almost worthless and at best merely a head start. Execution is EVERYTHING.

[darethas]

> Like a boat with no captain

They haven't even left the dock.

[sklinger]

How can they? There's no captain.

[samstave]

They have a dock, and no boat?

[wmeredith]

Yep. You need the product guy.

[0xbear]

Or gal