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    Startups Weekly Feedback and Support Thread

    February 05, 2019

    Startups Weekly Feedback and Support Thread

    Weekly Feedback and Support Thread

    Posted: 04 Feb 2019 03:07 AM PST

    Create something? Let's see it!

    Feedback or Support Requester

    Please use the following format:

    URL:

    Purpose of Startup:

    Technologies Used:

    Feedback or Support Requested:

    Comments:

    Post your site along with your stack and technologies used and receive feedback from the community. Please refrain from just posting a link and instead give us a bit of a background about your creation.

    Feel free to request general feedback or specific feedback in a certain area like user experience, usability, design, or code review.

    Feel free to request support with hiring talent, finding a job/clients, recruiting a co-founder, getting your pitch deck made, or anything objective based that is specific to your startup.

    You can also receive advice and feedback in instant chat using the /r/startups discord.

    Feedback Providers

    • Please post constructive feedback. Simply saying, "That's good" or "That's bad" is useless feedback. Explain why.

    • Consider providing concrete feedback about the problem rather than the solution. Saying, "get rid of red buttons" doesn't explain the problem. Saying "your site's success message being red makes me think it's an error" provides the problem. From there, suggest solutions.

    • Be specific. Vague feedback rarely helps.

    • Again, focus on why.

    • Always be respectful

    • /r/startups would appreciate your expertise on our discord.

    Support Providers

    • Please post some background information about yourself and why you're capable of providing support

    • Feel free to share a relevant URL

    • Be extremely clear what you are offering your support in exchange for: money, equity, barter/trade of services/products, or a mix of those--or if you are volunteering your support for free

    submitted by /u/AutoModerator
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    How to prevent "getting Zuckerberged" in a startup where you're minority shareholder?

    Posted: 04 Feb 2019 06:45 AM PST

    hi,

    ​

    I am in a 2 person Deleware C-Corp which puts my co-founder having majority control. When we first formed the entity, I asked both our company lawyer and my own (corporate/startup) lawyer about how to protect myself from something like this - basically, the scenario where a majority holding cofounder issues more shares to himself.

    ​

    While I do have a board seat, the majority holder could theoretically always fire you from the board and then issue the shares. Both attorneys I spoke to both told me there's basically nothing you can do about this. That there are certain clauses that could be added (such as a clause which states your co-founder can never vote against you from the board setting), but these types of clauses are "non-standard". I'm hesitant to do anything non-standard as it would potentially impact the companies ability to raise investment, and to me, it's more important to put the companies needs over my own personal ones. So we structured the company without any special clause like this.

    ​

    I was recently sitting with my accountant to go over some things, and he asked about the structure and was recommending that I get something in writing to protect myself from this. That being said - both lawyers basically told me there's not much to do here, so I now feel conflicted as the old scenario of CPA says one thing and lawyers say another.

    ​

    While I do trust my co-founder with all my heart, as otherwise, I would have never started a company with him, I wanted to reach out to see if other people in this situation felt the same and did anything about it. Is there any options here?

    submitted by /u/hopefaithcourage
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    Hiring first employee

    Posted: 04 Feb 2019 08:08 PM PST

    TL;DR: I have two questions:

    (1) How to know when it's time to hire and when it's not?

    (2) Should I hire someone that seems to lack required skills for the job but shows great enthusiasm to my startup?

    ​

    A little bit background story.

    I'm about to hire my first full-time employee. It's for a sales/admin position. Currently, the company is only me who's doing all the work and an investor who's not involved in daily operations.

    I feel the need to hire because (a) I see many repeatable tasks that can be delegated and (b) I want the company to be more aggressive and discipline in sales. By having someone that could take care of these two, I can have more freedom to expand the business (more specifically: extend our network of suppliers which is the most valuable things for our business).

    I don't have much to offer. I can only afford a salary below minimum wage (technically against the law but it's common in my country--not US), some stocks, and commission from the sales the person makes. I already got a candidate who's interested in the position, but the person seems to lack all the skills I required (no sales background). However, I can see how this guy can be valuable for the company because the guy seems to like the idea behind my startup (although s/he doesn't have background in the industry) and is willing to cut her/his salary into more than half of what s/he currently got from her/his current job (note: s/he doesn't like the current job and about to quit anyway). I rarely found this kind of people.

    ​

    What do you think?

    submitted by /u/westlalaguy
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    I have a meeting with a CEO/President of a large corporate - Advice wanted

    Posted: 05 Feb 2019 01:40 AM PST

    Hi folks, (my 1st post)

    I'm the founder of a hardware/saas startup which is slowly gaining customers however it has the potential to disrupt due to its innovation in solving much needed functionality in the Industry it's developed for. I'm a sole founder, with a small freelancing team and have a lead investor. I am still working a 9-5 since the investment we're seeking (100K) will enable me to go full-time and hire a Sales person.

    I met a Co-founder of a very successful App at a networking event and they have made an introduction for me. The CEO of this company has requested to see me today.

    Any tips/advice? -- what could be said/motive/ideas? -- (they know i've had a long journey to get where I am with my business).

    I don't think i'll have to time to reply to posts, but any comments based on the above info is gratefully received.

    ​

    t/y L

    submitted by /u/mrlozmoore
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    Where do you source remote software dev work?

    Posted: 04 Feb 2019 02:54 PM PST

    I'm looking to outsource a single remote resource to do some support but mostly development. ...but I'm really struggling with where and how to structure such an engagement.

    I have tons of small projects - I do all the heavy lifting myself. ...so I'm really looking for a full time person rather than create a project plan and outsource on project basis - which is what all the outsourcing firms seem to want.

    I just feel like it's impossible to hire that FIRST developer. I'm a developer myself, but I work from home 100% otherwise I'd bring someone in locally.

    ...or maybe I'm thinking about this wrong? Please tell me about your first developer hire and how that was structured and how it went..

    Thanks!

    submitted by /u/stignatiustigers
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    FB's acquisition of WhatsApp versus acquisition of IG - why the large difference?

    Posted: 04 Feb 2019 12:03 PM PST

    I have long thought about this but havent been able to find any sound logic, or speculation as to why FB would pay over 18b for WhatsApp, when IG was acquired for only 1b. Anyone have any insight into what value WhatsApp brought to FB accept for the user acquisition side of things? The only thing I can think is that it truly is just the data harvesting of peoples communications, which would lean more towards the conspiracy side of big tech.

    Instagram had just 30 million users and zero revenue.

    WhatsApp had around 600 million users with zero revenue.

    600 divided by 30 = 20

    20 times 1b = 20b which is pretty close to the WhatsApp acquisition price.

    This calculation tells me the acquisition is basically entirely based on active users, but what about the active users is that lucrative to them?

    submitted by /u/FoxMulder9
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    Tips for relaunching after building new version of website/product?

    Posted: 04 Feb 2019 04:58 AM PST

    I've been running a site for a few years, have steady traffic, several thousand registered users and consistent monthly revenue.

    To give some context, my site is a marketplace for vinyl records.We connect record buys with small, independent record stores that sell the records the user is interested in buying.

    Last week I put into a production a complete rebuild of the site .Everything was built based around the user feedback I'd gathered over the year (e.g "improve the audio player", "better categorisation of music") and after some beta testing I'm ready to now start getting some publicity for the site.

    What would you recommend as a plan for relaunch?

    Ideas so far:

    - email to all users, but Im not 100% on what the best content is?

    - paid ads targeting existing users

    - reach out to music news sites, again not 100% sure on what to say really?

    ​

    submitted by /u/334578theo
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    I advocate against "follow-up messages" — maybe I can change your view (Mindset Talk)

    Posted: 04 Feb 2019 03:45 PM PST

    I know Reddit. I'm expecting this to be downvoted into oblivion for the simple fact that it's easier to spray negativity when you're anonymous — and also because who the fuck am I to tell you what to do, unless I put some "I made $50,000 in 2 days" in the title. Also because it's not short-term. However, it's my message and it's also possible to get exactly one human being to look at it differently. Who knows? It's my lottery ticket.

    I was answering this question that went like this "What is the best way to follow up after giving a demo of an IT enterprise product?". Below is my answer. I think its core mindset elements can be taken for any business person.

    The Answer

    It might sound counter-intuitive but here's my answer: I wouldn't.

    I know — you've spent time and resources, probably money as well to deliver that demo. You're not getting them back and that's a fact. If you're discouraged by that, it might be an even longer "road" to be taken — but also a more rewarding one.

    My thesis is this: if your demo didn't convert them, two things are happening.

    1. The solution isn't good enough and that can also mean it's not on your side. It might not be a good fit for whoever your demo was given to — don't totally exclude the possibility that it might be not good enough generally speaking.
    2. If there's any doubt in your head that the solution does not bring a humongous amount of value, that's when you start becoming discouraged.

    Number 1.

    The reason why I wouldn't follow-up after a demo is that if it's not a good fit, then the company is clearly needed to get back to finding the right fit with another client — that ends there.

    If, on the other hand, the problem also consists of the utilitarian value layer of your solution, I'd take it as a message from the market. A message that says "it's not desirable enough at this moment, it needs to be better".

    It can sound rough, you may skip this answer because it's not what you want to hear. But it might be a mindset filter.

    The motivation is simple: you want to get to a point where your customers are depending on you, given how much they get out of using your product. If you're not there, back to the whiteboard.

    If you're not there and you take this "message" from the market, I'm just saving you time. And it's not me — you're saving yourself time. And buying yourself the future state where you can charge way more than you imagine now.

    I'm saving you time and a lot of stress because you could go on for 5 years with follow-ups and the consequent disappointment, instead of focusing now for 6–18 months on making a solution that brings so much value, you won't need to do follow-up calls/emails.

    So depending on your character, take this as a message after 2, 4 or 6 cold turkey connections. Again, maybe it's about the right fit, maybe something just happened on the other end and they're in financial trouble.

    Now for #2

    If you're in a place where you're confident as hell that the solution brings actual value, what I wrote above for #1 will come into your mind natural. And while it can be very ego-heavy, it doesn't have to be. It can be a matter of calm confidence, i.e. without some additional baggage. By that I mean unnecessary "yeah it's their fault, they can't see the value that I provide" or "they're losers"

    These are two quick examples of what I don't want people to understand I'm preaching. You can simply move on without them — society is at a point where this is the standard but at the same time, we've just started adapting and maturing on to the next level (but that's out of the scope of this answer).

    Hey, in fewer sentences: once you know that what you offer provides enormous value, you won't need to follow-up people — you're not "chasing" because you know the relationship you want is clicking without friction (i.e. without you having to say indirectly "did you guys decide yet? did you forget about it? let me remind you")

    Besides, by giving time, sometimes (very rarely though, I know) things happen. Multiple times I haven't followed-up and after a month I've got a message saying "OP, hey, sorry for the late reply. We've got this huge problem in our company because X happened but now we're ready for the engagement to start, should you still be free."

    I'm afraid of this though

    I'm afraid people will listen to this and then proceed to not follow-up because of ego. Because a voice will say "Don't follow-up, you're better than that". It can go on a wrong path as well.

    The mindset core would be this, I'd say — "Why spend time chasing a non-optimal relationship with people that are not fully interested, instead of devoting that time to making the solution exponentially more helpful?"

    I'm also aware that this does not apply all the time — what I've been always vouching for is listening to your instinct. All this post is trying to do is expand the range of what your instincts can do. If you feel like you should follow-up, by all means do it.

    A very big caveat

    If you're in need for short-term revenue, then yes, obviously follow-up and chase it. But I only mean real short-term — you're close to bankruptcy or some other urgent need. Calming that voice in your mind that tracks how much money you've made this year (especially as opposed to your friend John who did +$50,000 more last year) does not count.

    Ideally, if you're running a business that shouldn't be the case. But hey, I understand, sometimes situations happen.

    One last thing to mention

    Buckle up for the damn long-term ride of this. That exponentially becomes an easier thing to do one you believe in what your solution does (#2 in this written piece). I say exponentially and I want to highlight it because we, as humans, naturally think in linear terms.

    Exponential happens, though, when you're in for the long-term.

    submitted by /u/chddaniel
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    We are spending ~.70-90c per click on facebook ads. Any tips/advice on how to get that down?

    Posted: 04 Feb 2019 02:51 PM PST

    Some background:

    What we have built: We have built a voice activated digital chief of staff mobile app.

    Who we are targeting: mid 20's-mid 40's college graduates with a focus on salespeople.

    Why we are starting this campaign: to drive people to our site and get people to join our waiting list for beta.

    We are a launching a bunch of different ad campaigns right now to see what converts and which demographics specific campaigns reach. It's becoming a bit clear what types of ads hold different demographics attention, but we could definitely use some best practices and advice.

    I'm wondering what tips/tricks/advice you all have when lowering your cost-per-click - and what your average cost is.

    Thanks!

    submitted by /u/GrapevineAI
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    Does a startup CEO need a STEM education?

    Posted: 04 Feb 2019 03:24 AM PST

    Hi guys!

    As non-technical CEO, I often hear that the best people in the tech business have a STEM education of some sort. How do you feel about this?

    I did some googling and it really confirms that a great majority of the world's top CEOs got a STEM degree. Nonetheless, there is a great amount of those who have a business/social sciences education. I personally feel quite skeptical about the whole concept of business education, as the best business skills you can get can't be acquired n the classroom but rather by fighting in the trenches. However, I don't think that it works the same way with science skills and knowledge.

    Would love to hear your thoughts on this!

    submitted by /u/bosko07
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    How to find a CTO?

    Posted: 04 Feb 2019 03:00 AM PST

    Hi startupers,

    Soon I'm going to start working on some idea and now I'm in process of team building.
    One of the important roles in the team is CTO, the person who is responsible for all technical aspects.

    The question is how is to find a CTO for my startup, and what are the main criteria that CTO need to correspond?

    Will be great to get some advice from startup founders that had a similar problem and how you solve it?

    It is a good idea to involve freelancers?

    Also very important is how much to pay them?

    ​

    Thanks

    submitted by /u/krypta89
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    Teen Who Is Passionate About Music, and Soccer!

    Posted: 04 Feb 2019 08:13 AM PST

    Now I know this title might seem very simplistic and may lead you to think I am just one of those kids who wants to make money online. Here is my situation. I am 18 years old and love Entrepreneurship, Soccer, and singing! Those are my passions and I am looking to find a way to monetize these passions online. I give soccer lessons when its warm enough outside and make a good amount of money doing it. Their are just moments where I am lying in bed at night watching youtube or going through Reddit and I think to myself " I wish I could be making money right now." I don't lack motivation. I just lack knowledge. One idea that I had was to make a youtube channel and post videos of me doing different soccer drills and warmups. However, I don't really know how well I could make that work becuase the videos would be extremely short so I wouldn't make any money on ad revenue and thats if I get 2k subscribers (youtube rules). So I'm looking for some ideas! Thanks!

    submitted by /u/lilmitchie1221
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