HOW TO FIND AND VET A TECHNICAL COFOUNDERFreelanceCTO – FastStartStudios – November 2012

How to Find and Vet a Technical CoFounderAgenda Introduction and Quick Survey

What are we talking about? Who am I? Who are you?

Presentation Questions and Wrap-Up

FreelanceCTO is aTechnical CoFounder Founding Engineer for first commercial Internet

company: HotWired/Wired Digital Founder Status at 10+ companies over 20+

years 40+ companies and products over 20+ years

Company stages include Bootstrap, Seed, Angel, VC (Series A,B, C), Fortune 500

Funding ranges from 0 to $60M+ over multiple rounds

Team sizes range from under 5 to over 150 Acquisitions range from $10M to $4B+

Questions for Audience

About You: First-time founder? First-time technology

founder? Business background? Technology

background? Launching a new product? Overhauling an existing product? How many of you are having problems?

The Talent Landscape

All techies are working. If not, it is their choice to not work.

The economy is in bad shape. Technology is not!

It takes too long to find talent. Above 30 (or after 2 or 3 startups),

techies build their own companies Local colleges started targeting startups

1 or 2 years ago

You…in the Eyes of a Techie

Techies have heard it all before Hype: world-changing, but “I can’t tell you

what it is” Terminology: “revolutionary” terminology =

unfunded All techies have been burned Techies are the “belle of the ball” at

practically every tech event. It can overwhelm them

You have an unrealistic budget (time, money, or both)

CoFounder Goals

Determine the following: Do you need full-time technical leadership? Is CoSourcing an option?:

Meet as many techies as you can Get expert help

A little help: Technical Adviser (free) Some help: Technical Adviser (paid) A lot of help: CTO (paid)

Build trust over time with the techies you meet

Where to Find Your CoFounder? Your personal network Technology Meetups

Meetup verticals with bad reputations with techies: Entertainment Business Development, Marketing, and Sales Ask an expert which ones you should go to

Hackathons Bring your own team or join lots of teams

Local Universities(?)

Only 1 in 10 techies can do it!!

Interviewing Your CoFounder

Smarts Culture Skills

Skills Smarts Culture

If you are a techie: If you are not a techie:

Ask your potential CoFounder to draw your business:• Diagram with only boxes & arrows• Use generic terms• Avoid using brand names

After Hiring Your CoFounder

Seed, Feed, and Weed Fire Fast!!!! Learn how to interpret and listen to your

gut instincts

Questions?

FreelanceCTO LLC

John Shiple, CEO John@FreelanceCTO.com www.FreelanceCTO.com 310.893.3687 @FreelanceCTO

Active in local community: LA CTO Forum SoCal Code Camp Silicon Beach Fest Hackathons, Hackathons, Hackathons!