[edw519]

I hate to rain on your parade, but something about your request seems backwards. Start-up designers shouldn't be looking for freelance developers. Start-up developers should be looking for freelance designers.

If 2 of you can't handle all of the early stage development work, then you need a third partner. Why would anyone any good work for you without getting equity?

[Tichy]

I don't understand that comment? Typically people work for someone because they get paid for it?

[edw519]

Sorry if I was a bit blunt. Let me try to explain it a little better...

This is hacker news. One of the primary beliefs here (correct me if I'm wrong) is that this is the best time ever for one or two good hackers to start a business if you can build something people want. Why? The incredibly low cost of entry, available technology, tremendous demand, etc. All you need is some skill, some smarts, a couple of laptops, and whole lot of determination. You don't even need much money. That's the good news.

Now the not-so-good news (for non-hackers). This is a sufficient condition. BUT IT IS ALSO A NECESSARY CONDITION. You gotta be able to hack. If you can't, then why bother?

I know. I know. You need both development and design. Design without development is a brochure. Development without design (although not a good idea) can be a sustainable business. Just ask google.

Many hackers here already do work for big companies for pretty decent $. And we're still unhappy because we want better. We want our own. A web/tech/software business has to be founded by hackers; anything else doesn't make much sense to me.

Didn't mean to sound so negative to the original poster. Maybe they ARE good hackers. But if not, they need at least one rock star hacker as a co-founder, not a freelancer.

This post kinda reminds me of opening a dentist's office if you can do everything needed except fix teeth. Imagine an ad, "Dental Hygienist and Office Manager looking to hire a freelancer to fix teeth." If I'm a dentist (who is any good), why would I respond to that ad? I'd just open my own practice. Why should hackers accept any less?

[Tichy]

It's not actually THAT easy to earn money with your own startup. There is no guarantee for success. And it isn't that cheap, either - you still have the living expenses. Both factors combined can make a hacker accept freelance work from time to time.

[edw519]

Never said it was easy. Believe me, I know. Of course there's no guarantee. That's where the determination comes in. Don't understand how you inferred that I said either.

And yes it is cheap relative to other businesses. Try opening a restaurant with only 2 laptops, some determination, but no money.

I'll rephrase myself: "You don't even need much incremental money". You have living expenses whether you do something or sit on your butt. Better to do something.

[icey]

Maybe you should re-read the story. There's 1 designer and 1 developer in the company.

[edw519]

OK, you're right. But one could still claim that's 1 designer too many and 1 developer not enough.