Startup

[AmericanAndy]

Has anyone here built a successful business that includes a team? I'm interested in learning what it takes to build a team and where you find the kind of people willing to work. Mostly a bootstrapped startup. I don't have money for employees but I could create a employee-owned company. On top of that it would be an achievement-based pay or royalties on the product when we finish and sell it.

Has anyone here started a company with startup incubators and are they worth it?

[pancakemouse]

Yes, I have.

This is theorycelling/putting the cart before the horse.

You don't need a team. You just need yourself. A team comes when yourself is not enough.

If and when you need a team, you find good employees by being yourself, assuming you are an exemplary employee, manager, and human being. Like attracts like.

[Bman]

First off, you're on the wrong forum for this question my friend. While there are some heavy hitters in business here, you're not going to get the advice you're seeking.

Second, at this stage you're asking the wrong questions. You don't even have money for employees, so why are you worried about them? What you should be worried about is building a product/service for a customer that wants to buy it. Once you found that, you want to be worried about how to scale that, without employees, to gain the cash flow you need for employees. Until then, don't even worry about it.

Startup incubators are worth it for a particular style of company, paticuraly venture backed, hyper growth companies. If you have no plans of exiting or going public with company, in 3-5 years, then build a business the way everyone else has in the history of forever - sell more than you spend, have cash flow, reinvest the cash for growth.

Also be aware of the size of company you want. Mo' money = Mo' problems. You can build a very large private company without an incubator. You can also build a large lifestyle business without employees and have a kick ass life. All depends on your goals and what you want.

But first, worry about creating something people actually want to buy.

[AmericanAndy]

Second, at this stage you're asking the wrong questions. You don't even have money for employees, so why are you worried about them? What you should be worried about is building a product/service for a customer that wants to buy it. Once you found that, you want to be worried about how to scale that, without employees, to gain the cash flow you need for employees. Until then, don't even worry about it.

I've seen documentaries of software companies like "id" and "valve" that are started with a team of people with little to no money. "Bootstrapping" with a team of people you get work done much more quickly than doing everything alone. I don't need to pay a team of employees when the company is a team of employee-owners who have a shared goal of making money off a product.

[pancakemouse]

Second, at this stage you're asking the wrong questions. You don't even have money for employees, so why are you worried about them? What you should be worried about is building a product/service for a customer that wants to buy it. Once you found that, you want to be worried about how to scale that, without employees, to gain the cash flow you need for employees. Until then, don't even worry about it.

I've seen documentaries of software companies like "id" and "valve" that are started with a team of people with little to no money. "Bootstrapping" with a team of people you get work done much more quickly than doing everything alone. I don't need to pay a team of employees when the company is a team of employee-owners who have a shared goal of making money off a product.

OK. This is mental masturbation until you have a rock solid impenetrable idea. Vet your idea first, then worry about finding your team.

[AmericanAndy]

I've seen documentaries of software companies like "id" and "valve" that are started with a team of people with little to no money. "Bootstrapping" with a team of people you get work done much more quickly than doing everything alone. I don't need to pay a team of employees when the company is a team of employee-owners who have a shared goal of making money off a product.

OK. This is mental masturbation until you have a rock solid impenetrable idea. Vet your idea first, then worry about finding your team.

I already have a notebook filled with ideas. A team of people brainstorming should be better than just one person theorizing. Also you're being disrespectful.

[Bman]

I already have a notebook filled with ideas. A team of people brainstorming should be better than just one person theorizing.

Perfect. Then you have two options.

1) Make an MVP of one of your ideas and go try to sell it. Return in a month and tell us what you learned.

2) Go tell that idea to 100 people and see if you can get one who is so invigorated by the idea that they want to be on a team and help build an MVP of it. Then try to sell it. Return in a month and tell us what you learned.

[AmericanAndy]

I already have a notebook filled with ideas. A team of people brainstorming should be better than just one person theorizing.

Perfect. Then you have two options.

1) Make an MVP of one of your ideas and go try to sell it. Return in a month and tell us what you learned.

2) Go tell that idea to 100 people and see if you can get one who is so invigorated by the idea that they want to be on a team and help build an MVP of it. Then try to sell it. Return in a month and tell us what you learned.

Sounds good I'm looking through some startup and co-founder sites for networking.