Looking for a CTO co-founder for a new music startup. | Hacker News Reader

Looking for a CTO co-founder for a new music startup.

2 pointsvintageredmusic8 comments

¿What's up hackers?,

My name is Vincent and I'm looking for a tech co-founder for a new music startup. I've got domain expertise on the music side and the part of the space I want to dive in on is almost untouched (huge growth opportunity).

Future partner should know (or have insanely strong desire to learn):

• Ruby on Rails • Html/css • Javascript • Objective C • Jquerymobile • Web 2.0/AWS/Cloud experience • API/mash up integrating financial services.

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1. Looking to submit this business idea to next round of Y combinator/TechStars... so I really need help building the framework to pitch it.

2. I have already done lots of research, have business plan, and have tons of graphics for what I want site to look like.

3. If you're down.. I'm a super friendly musician/music biz guy who knows the space intimately. Working with me or getting people to use product won't be the hard part. Plus, the lifestyle will be awesome!! Festivals, concerts, conferences... all if you want that, but cool if you don't.

4. It really kick ass if you lived in Los Angeles so we could work faster and more efficiently, but I've read 'ReWork' from 37signals... I'm not trying to sweat too many meetings or the small stuff. I understand stuff can be done remotely.

5. Perfect for a young cat just out of school... but if you love the music space and are a skilled, "wise," and comfortable house cat (with a job), moonlighting is cool too.

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Bottom line... I'm a good guy and this is a good idea that will make artists happy. Let's get together and live a cool life amongst creative people.

peace,

C. Vincent Plummer Email = c.vincent.plummer@gmail.com Twitter = @vintageredmusic

Hi Vincent,

So you have an idea, are a cool guy, and have some domain knowledge. You'll have to pitch yourself a bit more before you list your demands in a partner.

As a technical person, the first thought I had was "so you expect me to do all the work and you tell me what to do???"

Beyond the idea, what else do you have to offer? Business connections? Funding? Passion? Why is this market untapped?(novel businesses die quickly). What is the idea(ideas are cheap, execution is everything)?

Serious questions. And if you have good answers you'll probably have better luck finding a cto partner.

Hi Lee,

Thanks for your comments. I agree with you... Ideas are cheap, but the pitch disclosing the idea is a little more formal than over an open forum of capable builders, wouldn't you agree? The purpose of my post was to develop some kind of a dialogue with a developer.. someone interested in getting into the music space. If someone said, 'hey man.. I'm interested in taking risks and hearing more, then we go further with the discussion.'

In reference to making you feel like I would ask a technical person to 'do all the work and then tell tehm what to do?' Ummm... What about sales & marketing and all the other roles that go with a CEO responsibilities in a startup? I'm not expecting anything different than a well defined CEO/CTO relationship. The idea is to have a partnership, not a dictatorship.

As far what I bring to the table - I'm a social maven who has access to many music folks who would use the product, business connections, & tons of passion. I don't have funding however. That's what Y Combinator is for... and the idea is to build a framework, get something going, and then pitch to them, Tech Stars, or other incubator programs in hopes of securing series A funding.

Thanks for the feedback though. Ultimately, I'm just trying to put myself out there and make something happen man. I will think of your feedback for future posts.

Take care, Vincent

Hi Vincent, I +1 everything lee said, and have one more question: it doesn't look like you'd be doing much of the tech work, so why be so specific about the technologies? Why do you want your CTO to code in Ruby, for instance, when it's arguably much easier to find a php ninja? Is it just because 37s do it or is there a particular reason? Cheers!

Hi Pedro,

I responded to Lee. I hope that answers some of those questions or concerns.

You are correct in the assumption that I wouldn't be doing the tech work (although I do posses graphic design skills to give visual representations of what I would like site to look like.) And I am very clear on it's functional needs.

After consultations with developer friends of mine (who are too busy to jump into a start-up), they have suggested Ruby developers for these reasons.

1. The project will require a heavy data back end... and version 2.0 an even heavier back end. 2. There are standards set with the Ruby community that aren't necessarily set with PHP... (I was given the example of having two developers code the same sight with different messy PHP code, or having one developer be frustrated and end up redoing everything after looking at another developers 'functional' but sloppy PHP code. 3. .Net development standards are too expensive.

The jquery mobile and objective C has to do with the desire to be in a mobile space and have an Iphone app built.

I am definitely not an expert in the development field.. I'm sure that there are arguments that can be put up against my aforementioned reasons. I welcome the feedback so that I might be better informed. Ultimately, my requests are based from the suggestions of 'wiser' developer friends.

Thank you for your response. - Vincent

" Working with me or getting people to use product won't be the hard part. "

This sounds like a MLM pitch....

It's not a MLM.

8==============D~~~~

back atcha.

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