I think I’m reaching a point where finding somebody to partner with to build a business is a good idea. I like doing everything on my own but there are some serious draw backs that are becoming painfully obviously to me now. It is all about velocity. I have a huge queue of tasks waiting on my time which right now gets eaten up by paying clients.
The problem I have in looking for a partner is the type of person I want to partner with. I don’t feel like another developer will help me. Programming isn’t the problem. I want somebody who is a wizard at marketing and sales. More on the tactical side than strategic side. Specifically – somebody who can help jumpstart the sales of a brand new product.
I’ve just started thinking about this as a result of a conversation with a friend I highly respect. We were talking about building a consulting company. I’ve avoid that direction because I think recruiting great talent is a pain(it is – thank god). However, a good consulting company doesn’t actually need a lot of great talent. They just need a few key players and then an army of solid reliable developers who show up and just do what they are told to do. Put in those terms building a consulting company is less daunting. Still not what I’m after, but it shifts my perspective.
As I said – I have just now started thinking about this. I might actually need to build a team of partners and not just one partner. I don’t know yet.
If you are interested and would like to talk to me feel free to email me (jakew@guerillaprogrammer.com) or hit me up on twitter (send me a direct message).