Non-programmer leading a tech start up,why not?

[tshen]

Programmers always tell me that a non-programmer can't lead a tech company.

While in school, it is very difficult to find a partners/programmers who are willing to believe in your idea and take commit to it, even harder if you are in business..(I found programmers dislike business kids, ALOOT.)

I am a non-programming guy, had an idea and started looking for partners 4 months ago.

First round: I contacted probably around 30 computer engineering students around Waterloo through clubs and friends. 12 replied, 7 wrote polite rejections and 5 agreed to eat chicken wings with me (yes.. I could only offer chicken wings to people). Of course my pitch wasn't polished, then I got rejected by all 5 of them politely.

Second round: Contacted 16, 5 replied, 2 came to eat wings and I finally convinced one. Then, we started building and hacking, then realized we need more help since all of us are still in school. (I started learning Django and bunch other stuff 7 hours a day from 11pm to 6am. Then sleep from 6 to 11:30)

Third round: I only contacted 7 and successfully recruited 2.

I pitched to different developers total of 34 times so far. Spent roughly 320 bucks on wings, I only scheduled dates when there were wing nights...so the bills were around $15, cuz I would just get a drink.

In conclusion, As non-programmer student entrepreneur, I learned. 1. You get used to rejections a lot quicker, so thicker skin. 2. You refine your idea a lot more through constant bashing/questioning from developers since you are such a tech amateur . 3. You appreciate and respect your partners a lot more. 4. It is not a race, if a slow walker gets to destination, he is still a winner.

Now, we became a small team of 5, just bunch of ordinary kids trying to accomplish extraordinary things. I don't qualify as the "crazy smart guy" at all, but a snail like me will find the snail way to build a product and company.

[Kynlyn]

Leading a tech company and starting one are two entirely different things.

Sounds like what you are trying to do is start one. The issues of a non-technical person starting a tech company are many and have been discussed here before.

If you're starting a software company and you can't contribute to writing the software then you are bringing very, very little to the table in the beginning. Your theoretical business skills won't matter much until you have a product. And you can't do much to contribute to that.

[tshen]

There are definitively many issues, but all are solvable. Contributions don't just go by lines of code you write. If you are the non-technical guy, you have every reason in the world to keep your developers as motivated and driven as possible, do every non-technical related jobs possible. Even just simple networking and getting connected, there are plenty of ways for the non-tech guy to get involved, just depends how creative and persistent you can be.

[Kynlyn]

I applaud your persistence and motivation. I really do. I'm merely saying you have to be realistic about your contributions and expectations of others. True, the non-technical person can handle sales, billing and all of the administrative stuff that is still important. You didn't mention if your devs are being paid salaries or if it's an equity deal. If it's equity, then I certainly hope they are getting a significant chunk of it because without them to build the product, you don't have a company at all. You just have an idea, and that alone is worthless.

[Teef]

Why don't you just learn to program? It is not that difficult and in a startup everyone needs to code. Engineers learn business skills all the time but it is strange that the reverse is not true.

[tshen]

You are right, and like I said in the post, I try putting in 6-7 hours everyday if I can.