My experience with other startup folks I know is that the accelerator is not designed to be a launchpad for the company's own PR purposes. Show some restraint, built your product, gain some organic and home-grown traction and then at, or near, the conclusion of the accelerator, launch your product (demo day, for example). It is to be about the product/service, not the brand of the accelerator that earns street cred.
I really look back on the experience as a stepping stone. We really got our sh*t together after the interview. In fact we left the interview, went to a nearby University commons and reworked our product on the spot. We learned so much in that 20 minute interview that has helped us to make a better product. Of course, hard evidence is required so we will have our proto up in a month or so. Then we can begin the heavy lifting. Thanks for your response and good luck moving forward!
For now I am going to keep the name anon. We surely did not have our ducks in a row as we were very young in our partnership and product dev (1.5 months). Now several months later, we feel we are on the right track and should be well prepared for the next time. No sweat about your comments; I appreciate them.
Good point. My intention is not to solicit their contacts but to have a dialogue about the best way to secure a developer. I'll take your feedback and that of other HN'ers and rethink how I am approaching people with my inquiry.
Thanks everyone.
I am asking for direction on finding a front end developer to add to my team. I offer equity but cannot offer compensation at this time. Do you think I should approach this differently and present it as a job opening or contract to hire type of position? We can pay (not a lot) but we were taking the approach that we wanted to add a founding member to the team. We just need someone to build a user interface without bankrupting us. Suggestions on this? Thanks for reply by the way.
It sounds like you know the answer to your own question. What you really want, I believe, is someone to comfort you into thinking that the decision you already made, which is to go to work for them, is a good call. Obviously I may be completely wrong but I would think you would have entered an update stating you opted out based on the recommendations of HN members.
The opposite argument is, of course, you are going to do some work you will love and enjoy. If this is the case equity doesn't matter. You may be right and these guys may be truthful and honest; it is their business and they do not need to offer you equity. They will do what they can for you later. I would offer equity if I were them but only after you showed me something. Then it would be a no-brainer.
Good luck with this.
I am the biz-guy in my startup and have been learning Python during my lunch breaks. I work on building a consulting business in the evenings so I can leave my day job and work on my startup. This would free up time for learning to code. I am only responding because I find your insight into Rails interesting and will be looking into that for myself. Good luck with your education (coding) and your development project.
Appreciate the response. Right now looking to outsource development. If prototype gains interest then need to partner-up or hire on. Really just need a bare bones proto using geo-loc technology. Thanks again.
The integration of web/mobile/life is rapidly accelerating and there are many new apps to be constructed and countless other extensible options to explore. My reasons are a combination of the first three options listed in the poll. My goal is to engage in a personal entrepreneurial mission; a challenge to my personal ambition to become independently successful. More easily stated, I want to be part of the web apps community, a la Dropbox and other startups.