jaypreneur

Thanks for the honesty pepeto.

I've been struggling with this today. My gut just tells me to break it off, knowing I was too impatient when jumping to ask him about this. I usually think everything through and I just didn't do that here.

I think it ultimately will be better for both to not go through together. If he is still serious about entrepreneurship or coding, he will go along with it anyway, on his own. And anything I learn on my way I'd be willing to share with him. Hopefully something like that can happen..

Again, thanks everyone. If anyone else still agrees with this proposition, please let me know. The more support I can gain, the better I'd feel in letting him know. Thanks!

Thank you both for the fast replies. I appreciate it.

I guess I have a decision to make. Ultimately, I'm trying to build something with some complex features. It seems it might, as willpower put it, eventually outpace his ability to consume and learn fast enough. It isn't business-y as much as it is an internet platform for a lot of users (social network aspects, but not a social network persay).

Bleh. I'm not trying to be stingy with equity or anything by not wanting him on if he can't contribute, but the reason for me thinking of now changing my mind is the following:

1. He's a good friend. I want him to stay that way. If it's truly hard for him to keep up, I don't want to then get need someone better to jump on board later. Then what does he do?

2. Say he doesn't bother doing the technical side. I'm not sure where else he'd fit in terms of skills. He's not terribly artistic/design inclined. And while I don't doubt his business skills, I have immersed myself in business and marketing books, went to school for business, and am far more energetic/passionate as a salesmen. It is why if he did know the technical side, his personality and skills would complement my own.

3. Well... I feel like lists always need at least 3. Unfortunately, I started the numbering before realizing that I didn't have a third thing to say, ha.

So, it's actually more just about team dynamics and what he'd even have to do than dealing with equity or something.

Since, honestly, I've been doing everything but the back-end side just fine (not progressing quickly as I'd like due to my full time job, but I digress) on my own and expect to continue handling all of that.

Oh man. I feel terrible. I was just so excited when I thought about the idea of us working together and finally have a partner who could perhaps handle the technical end. I neglected to fully realize how difficult a role I was putting in his hands as someone with no technical experience.

One last thing. Since as of now it seems like I made the wrong decision and want to back out of it. Would you think this is a reasonable thing to say:

I'm sorry to say this, but I was thinking more about the ability for either of us to learn to code the back-end and I think it'd be tough to get up to speed fast enough starting from scratch like this. And all our other strengths overlap, so it'd be hard to really split roles up, so I don't think it's a good idea to partner up on this. You seemed excited about starting something and why not keep with it, even it's not with this idea? Just brainstorm some ideas on your own, bounce them off me, and still go through with it. We can help each other along the way.

I don't know. I'll say something like that to him. Let me know if it comes off terrible. Since I feel terrible.

It will similar to your high school class in terms of being idealized and non-applicable.

I think they are interesting courses to take and there are some great conceptual takeaways. I'm not sure how valuable for entrepreneurship economics would be. I would personally go for microeconomics for it's applicability to business. However, macroeconomics is still interesting in a broader (even political and global) sense though.

I don't know what you'd be taking as an alternative to economics, but I don't see why you wouldn't take them. I took both macro and micro in college. I enjoyed the courses and found them useful. As philphodgen pointed out... what you will gain from taking the course is the ability to think like an economist.

Another great resource with that ecorner link and book recommendations, thanks. I've already got the books on my kindle now.

I will keep the landing page simple. Although, I'm not testing a feature with the landing page, but more the concept... to see the interest and perhaps even get suggestions based on what potential customers want.

Quick question in regards to the landing page for you (or anyone else reading this thread):

Would it work to have successive landing pages?

Essentially, the first is signing up to show interest for those who want to get notifications, be part of future testing and perhaps give suggestions.

Once you have submitted your email address, there will be a confirmation page. For those willing to go a step further, I'd have an additional CTA, linking you to a short survey.

I know that having both on the first landing page would probably deter people from signing up in the first place. Yet is having the survey on the confirmation page going to guarantee no one will answer the survey?

Just looking for some conventional wisdom on landing pages. That's the best approach I could think of, but I'm open to advice/suggestions. Thanks!

Thanks! That's a great link.

I will take that idea regarding a landing page heart. Especially considering it's something I can manage to put together myself. Perhaps even throw a "comments" field for suggestions on what features customers would want? I could even respond to said customers personally in regards to their comments/suggestions. Let me know if you think going that far would be beneficial or bothersome to potential customers (I personally would like that type of attention as a customer).

Anyway, sounds good about not outsourcing. I won't bother with that, especially since my website cannot be implemented properly without a significant amount of time and effort... and therefore, money. I feel as if just a landing page with email and suggestion form would be 100 times more useful than some minimally featured, half-assed version of a website I paid for. Since that website might actually end up turning people away.

Any advice in regards to startup events? For instance, there is one in NYC on October 11. I will go, but I won't know anyone. Now, I'm decently outgoing, so I'll try to introduce myself, but should I try to contact people before attending? Then at least I'll have someone to meet and it won't be as difficult. I don't know.

I understand it's a long road. But it's exciting.

Thanks for the luck. I'll be trying my hardest to ensure success. We'll see what happens.