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Comment by parfe | Hacker News Reader

"I've got this million dollar idea. I need you do all the work but we can split the profit!"

"I don't know how to code. Lets hire a guy. You can be CMO and I'll be CEO. We'll be rich!"

This is probably the wisest parsing of the correct situation. If you want to work with your friend or another person and all they have is an idea, then include them and help them learn new things along the way.

It seems to me the skill-set you start with at the beginning of a startup will be significantly smaller and narrower than what you have at the end of a startup.

There is more to a business than code.

There is no Snapchat business without code.

The mindset of "code is necessary and sufficient" is blinding and will prevent you from being an effective team member, founder and/or executive. Small companies have existential threats around every corner and don't exist if they don't have lots of help.

I'm not arguing that code in and of itself is sufficient, rather that it is the one necessary fundamental for most online/app-based/saas style businesses.

Without code you don't even have a pig to put lipstick on.

That can arguably be reduced to "There is no Snapchat business"

I'm way late in adding a comment to this thread, but I wanted to say: well said.

Adding:

  I_HAVE_THE_CODEZ && AttractingUsers && RetainingUsers &&
  AttractingTalent && DoingPayroll && GettingOfficeSpace &&
  HavingARolodex && KnowingSalaries && 
  KnowingProductManagement && KnowingSales &&
  OhCrapWeveGotAConferenceComingUp && OurRockstarJustLeft &&
  *everything*

[Note: I'm a "developer"... ]

Kinda reminds me of Whartonite Seeks Code Monkey:

http://whartoniteseekscodemonkey.tumblr.com/

Always good for a laugh

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