Is it possible to make an Internet startup without being an IT specialist?

Question

Startups

There is an idea of ​​a startup on the Internet (more or less a large service). As for marketing, promotion, business processes, etc. this is clear to me. There is entrepreneurial experience, incl. online trading.
I have not worked in IT companies and have a poor idea of ​​all this "kitchen". Not an IT guy myself.
Going to the studio is not an option.
How to do it better? Hire a project manager to help hire programmers, designers and manage them, control, decide when an employee is needed and when a freelancer.
Is it possible to find such a person-orchestra, or is it necessary to delve deeply into the development processes and manage all the performers yourself?
Is it possible to make an Internet startup without being an IT specialist at all?

Answer 1

Can.
But how will you evaluate both the project and the people?
In IT, everything looks something like this:
"let's repaint this duck green" "come on
, this is half a year of work."
"what???? just for a different duck color?"
"Well, if it was yellow, it would be for half an hour. And green - for half a year."

Answer 2

Is it possible to make an Internet startup without being an IT specialist at all?

I suspect you don’t know how to fly an airplane either, but you can fly.
You don’t need a PM, but TeamLead, you also need to understand that you need to pay real money, a team-lead on average now starts from $ 2500, and he will be able to implement a large project himself in half a year or even more, or he will need adequate mid programmers , salary from $ 1200, designer and much more, as well as legal services so that your idea is not stolen.
So my opinion, not knowing what you are doing, most likely nothing will come of it, or you should have a familiar team lead and a capital of 100k+

Answer 3

Can be hired. But:
It will be very expensive.
It will be inefficient (meaning even more expensive).
And you can't control employees.
Well written by this author.
Developer's point of view:
https://ebanoe.it/2016/12/27/galley-story-2/
https://ebanoe.it/2017/01/20/galley-story-3/
https://ebanoe .it/2017/01/27/galley-story-4/
From the perspective of a founder (like you ;) :
https://ebanoe.it/2017/02/10/galley-story-captain-...
One non-IT people I know who invest in IT say that following the results of their failures and successes:
"It is more profitable to learn to program at least a little bit yourself than to achieve the result you need from an IT specialist, if you do not understand at all."
;)
This is of course an exaggeration.
But if you don’t understand at all where to check what your employees are doing, then the project manager is unlikely to help you.
After all, you can not check its quality of work.
I'll tell you more. I have been in IT for more than 20 years, but sometimes developers also manage to trick me, deceiving me in terms of deadlines / quality.
However, you may be lucky, you will get an extremely honest, qualified and talented project manager who specializes specifically in IT and understands this.
If I were him, I would boldly ask for 50% of the profit + monthly salary at a good level.
If it is economically beneficial for you - go ahead and with the song.
If not, it is better to study for yourself how everything works there.
At least in general terms. Work for a year or two in an IT office beforehand. Himself.
There is such a common phrase that an IT startup needs three H:
Hacker (Cool technical specialist)
Hipster (Creativity)
Hustler (Seller)
https://habrahabr.ru/company/preply/blog/210452/
Can be reduced to 2 -x
But they must both be vested co-founders.
Not mercenaries.
On the other hand, offering an outsider with great technical skills to enter the project
and just get a share is also not smart. You never know what qualifications he has .....
In general, I don’t envy you.
PS:
For a small project, not a startup - you can easily do it without knowledge.
From the 5th attempt, having lost a lot of money on the previous ones - but this is more than real.
PPS:
And since you want it, it's easier to hire an IT office to make a turnkey project for you.

Answer 4

With a giant financial cushion - yes.
Just order.
To do it yourself (and cheaper and better) - you need a co-founder-specialist.

Answer 5

Everything is possible. BUT a designated human orchestra will cost a lot.

Answer 6

You can, but you must already have an investor or a budget for the team (the money is not small, you will have to spend about $ 10k per month to stay afloat).
I would suggest you the easiest way in the form of a search among friends / acquaintances of an interested person from the IT field. If the idea is cool, then in partnership you will easily overcome the first steps. You have experience in doing business, promotion, etc., respectively, you will be useful at different stages, where an IT specialist will not take you out. I think this is the best option in your case.

Answer 7

You need a co-founder with a technical background - a team leader (this is a centaur who is both a programmer and a manager). Which in the future will take you the position of those directors. It is a co-founder, and not just a hired employee.

Answer 8

Is it possible to make an Internet startup without being an IT specialist at all?

no
If you have a high level of marketing and you can sell a non-existent project for a lot of money, then sell and look for a CTO

Answer 9

Of course you can. You outsource these functions by signing a long-term contract with a contractor from 1 year. They do their job, you do yours. Everyone lives like this.

Answer 10

Just go to any startup you like and say that you will be a seller for 50%
It's the same as if you have a startup and 50% of the share and you will look for a technical specialist (programmer) for 50% of the share that you will immediately go to a ready-made startup.
Only 50% is a figurative figure with 2 founders. The programmer and the seller are always equally divided, because then a designer appears who needs to be given a small share, and then an investor for 10-30%

Answer 11

The co-founder must be a technical specialist.
It is the co-founder with burning eyes, who is all for the idea.
And not just a programmer for a share, who is not particularly interested in the idea.
The alternative is to hire qualified technicians. specialists.
And it's very expensive.

Answer 12

First you need to understand whether the idea is technically feasible, what are the pitfalls, does the world need this startup? (Another electric brush, for example, is not needed). After that, you open Internet Startup Technology Incorporated LLC, hire a technical director who will manage it all. For motivation, offer this person a share in the project. Then you deal with your questions, he - his. Understanding all the nuances is not necessary, but desirable.

Answer 13

How to find such a technical director? What kind of salary can he receive?

Go the standard way - apply for a vacancy for the Technical Director and wait for responses.
Regarding ZP: Market. If from Moscow, count that up to 100,000 thousand. Regions - resp. less than 2/2.5 times.

Answer 14

You outsource these functions by signing a long-term contract with a contractor from 1 year

Do you mean studio? But they are still laying down their margin and at the same time they have a bunch of projects, each of which, to put it mildly, they do not think of as their own.

Answer 15

If possible, it is better to order mvp from the company. Delivery Club example. Here are some tips for choosing a company.
And immediately after the launch, it is necessary to transfer the development to in-house. And there will be time to find a technical director.