In a tech-based company, having a co-founder is a vital need. A tech co-founder can change the whole equation if s/he is chosen wisely. Along with sharing the responsibilities, they can also act as a great support in dire situations. All in all, they can elevate the condition of entrepreneurship on a large scale. Two heads are always better than one, so be careful while choosing the better half (the perfect tech co-founder). Successful entrepreneur and developer Andy Ta Kong shares his experience as a technical co-founder of several multi-million companies.
Step up your game in persuasion: First, work on understanding how the minds of good IT- developers work. That would give leverage in comprehending the persuasion game. Entrepreneurs have to master the art of persuasion to convince the right candidate to be a partner in their entrepreneurship journey. Share upcoming plans along with the potential aspects of the company to convince the candidate; once s/he is convinced that plan has legs, are all set!
Intersperse the balance between technical and interpersonal: Maintain a steady ratio between the technical and interpersonal aspects. While it’s true that collaborate with someone who has more weight on the technical side, it also needs to remember that startups need to have a leader at the helm. A technical co-founder should be a proportional balance between a leader and a tech expert. After all, the team needs a leading figure to acquire tangible results in the long run. So try looking for plausible options while seeking a co-founder. Andy loves to build automation programs and lead his technical teams. Besides, he has solid experience in leading a large member of people and collaborating with stakeholders & investors.
Experience Building and Maintaining Complex Systems: It’s typical for a technical co-founder to lead the technical team and help build a maintainable, scalable system based on needs. Usually, startup requirements change frequently, and the system can expand quickly. So while collaborating with co-founders, they must have the experience to handle these issues. Also, the technical co-founder should have domain knowledge. While starting a tech startup, co-founders have to write code and make design & system-related decisions. While starting with his eCommerce and mining firm, the system was simple and had few users. But the system scaled drastically, making it very hard to maintain scalability and availability. But Andy has previous experience managing such complex and vast systems while working as a freelance developer. He was able to easily keep them and employ new developers to oversee the day-to-day operations. It was perfect for his company as one co-founder could handle this crisis and growth situation.
Frequently attending tech gatherings: To build a diverse network, it’s crucial to participate in various networking events. For instance, following a tech talk can help entrepreneurs acquaint themselves with some of the greatest minds and increase the chances of finding the perfect match (the perfect technical co-founder). That way, entrepreneurs can also be aware of the capabilities possessed by different individuals and can make a list of pros and cons too. Andy attends tech meetups regularly, and it helps him to meet different kinds of investors, co-founders, and developers. Andy believes a cup of espresso with the right people may help you build a future unicorn company.
Know thyself: Reflect on strengths and vulnerabilities if any entrepreneurs know their shortcomings well. In that case, they can quickly come up with a way to negotiate while persuading a promising candidate to accept the role of the co-founder. They can use their strengths to cancel out the loopholes, and thus it will be comparatively easier to convince the candidate.
Look for prior experience: Andy suggests that while scavenging for the perfect candidate, look for someone with a prior technical background or who has experience in the specific field. The more experienced a candidate is, the more the chances of incorporating a valuable asset into the industry. An experienced co-founder always comes in handy in critical situations and can contribute mainly to the team’s overall development.
In conclusion, the right co-founder is quintessential to heralding the journey of smooth entrepreneurship, so one must be meticulous in choosing the co-founder to save the startup from jeopardizing. A wrong choice can end all the efforts and time invested in the startup, and it’s vital to remember that all the outcomes associated with the startup are solely dependent on the choices an entrepreneur and their co-founder make along the way. Lastly, don’t oppose ideas or plans while selecting co-founders. Brainstorm ideas with that person, so it evolves with both of you. This will be an excellent start to making a good product and successful outcomes. If you have more questions, feel free to contact Andy Ta Kong via direct message on Instagram: @andyvonde.
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