Idea for web-based startup, but no programming skills. | Hacker News Reader

Idea for web-based startup, but no programming skills.

6 pointstadbronson7 comments

Hello,

I have an idea I've put a lot of thought behind for a web-based startup. I have ten years of experience in sales and management, but no experience in programming or coding.

What is the best way for someone who does not know how to program to build a complex website?

Thank you

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Sounds like you need to find yourself a technical co-founder. Be sure to put together exactly what it is that you'll be bringing to the table, because coders don't like to hear "I have the idea, you do the work".

Thank you for your response. Where would you recommend I begin looking for someone? I've given a lot of thought to the UI and UX, and I would be driving the sales. I would need someone to build the website and help figure out logistics and payments.

Check out your local startup community on events going around and you can also ask various tech influencers in your area for introductions to possible cofounders

The more detail-oriented you are and the more you know exactly how you want the website to function the more you might be able to write a spec yourself and outsource development. The wisdom of this strategy would be contingent on your financial constraints and your desire to dive into the low-level details of product development.

I guess what I'm trying to tell you, and many others will surely disagree, is that I wouldn't sweat the lack of programming knowledge. If you can specify what you want and diligently hire someone to construct one you get to effectively the same end.

Is it a web application or just an ecommerce website. If you don't know the difference head over to google.

If it's a web app, find a technical co-founder.. if you can't find one and are dedicated to making something happen, start learning python/django or ruby/rails.

If it's just a website selling things online, you may be fine with a CMS system, look into Magento, Drupal, Joomla, Wordpress etc..

He/She could also use Shopify, etc.

I don't know if this is good or not, but I spill my ideas all over the place. You could call it fertilizer.

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