[steve8918]

Sorry to burst a bunch of bubbles, but don't bother learning to code if you haven't already taken computer science courses, and you want to create your own startup right now or really soon. If you are considering an MBA, then go for that instead.

Someone saying they want to learn how to code to form a startup is like someone saying they want to open a restaurant by memorizing recipes. Memorizing recipes is only 1% of what it takes to be a viable chef.

Besides knowing the ingredients:

You have to know how to mix the ingredients properly.

You have to know how to select the better quality ingredients.

You have to know how to actually cook the food properly without burning it, etc.

As the recipes get more complex, you have to know how to time each aspect of the recipe so that different aspects of the dishes don't cook before others, and they're left cooling.

As you cook for more and more people, you have to know how scale your techniques for larger batches of food.

You have to know how to scale your suppliers, etc.

The exact same thing applies to programming. Learning how to "code" is almost meaningless. To be useful, and to actually build things that won't fail, you need to get experience so much more experience. If the person in question is actually interested in coding, and loves technology and loves the thrill of building stuff, then go ahead. If the point is to create a startup and be more "useful", then don't bother, because it's too hard, especially if you're starting from ground zero. It takes YEARS of coding experience, working 40 hrs a week, to be able to build something viable.

If you want to create a startup in the very near future, then hire the people you need, and concentrate on the vision, there's no shame in that. Be warned that managing programmers and programming projects is also a skill that takes years to develop as well.

If your time horizon is in the next few years, then roll up your sleeves and start now.

[zedshaw]

Being someone who actually does teach people how to code, I say don't listen to the above comment and give it a shot anyway. I see people all the time go from nothing to building their own projects in a few months. Yes, many don't do this, but at least they tried and know for sure. If you give it a shot and you suck then step back and work on it slower.

Worst thing you can do is let comments like this scare you into not even trying.

[jamongkad]

I agree. I'm a huge proponent on giving it a try and seeing where you are from just doing it.

[bradlind]

Yes, I dont code, I drive product vision and business, and completely see where you are coming from. However I need crackpot coders on my team. I view them as equals because I know I'd have no product without them however you are 100% correct in your analogy.

This leads to the question of whether entrepreneurs, who have the ingredients you mention, are born, or if an MBA can teach that?

[dsrikanth]

It completely depends on the individuals. I for one, always wanted to an entrepreneur. But felt that I need certain skills. I needed to learn things like pricing model, forecasting, project management, supply chain management, accounting and data analytics the theoretical way via MBA. Also, I wanted to strengthen my marketing and networking skills. I took the MBA route and am very happy I did that. I am confident of the above things now. Even though I might not be doing all/any of the above, I can at least understand what my employee is doing and be realistic in expectations (I also have 3 year software development experience btw). On the other hand, someone would already have figured these out wouldn't have to put money and time into an MBA program. Reiterating - it completely depends on the individual.

[capkutay]

You can also equate it to "I want to perform at Carnegie Hall...so I'll learn piano today."

[ges]

That's sometimes how people now performing at Carnegie Hall started.