Where to look for a middle/senior backend programmer?

Question

Startups

Hey!
We have a great product (the idea is great, it has been tested many times, there are opinion leaders, there are sales, there are users, there is traffic, there is an interface, there is excellent feedback from users, grandiose plans for the future), but ... NO programmer.
We worked with 4 programmers for money (the rate is from $19 to $25), but we came to the conclusion that a startup is such a topic that you simply can’t go far with money (and it’s not even that money for a startup is a difficult thing, but that you need to act energetically, giving a part of yourself into something more than just work from and to).
Please advise where to look for an ambitious programmer-enthusiast (whose eyes are on fire)? Maybe there are some sites, chat rooms, forums. Maybe contacts.
PS: The project is quite complicated, but a person who wants to grow and develop constantly, it will greatly warm up.
PPS: At the moment, financial resources have exhausted themselves in 5 months of development. Therefore, now we are looking for a person as a co-founder, for a share, and not only the level of skills, but also human qualities are important to us.
PPPS: Past programmers left behind bugs, these bugs do not allow to drive prepared traffic.
UPD Thank you all for the replies, everything has already been decided!

Answer 1

As I understand it, you don’t just need a senior backend, but a senior backend + senior architect?
There are no such people with burning eyes IN PRINCIPLE.
And the mantra like "ambitious programmer-enthusiast (who has eyes on fire)" is the mantra of lousy galleys, where they pay pennies, but drip corporate ethics, devotion, the fact that a person will gain experience and other nonsense. The option that you would find someone (only a junior) - you have a good technical lead who is ready to train a junior in the process. So you can really find free programmers, but the quality of their work will be questionable, and the team leader will not work for free.
You have only one option - to seek funding. Startups are often a wildly boring field for learning. It's not about making games that are fun in places.

Answer 2

financial resources have exhausted themselves in 5 months of development. Therefore, now we are looking for a person as a co-founder, for a share

Guys, are you writing from the past, galleries? Such a breeding of rabbits has not been relevant for a long time.

Answer 3

You should look for a sponsor or try to implement a less expensive project.
Looking for a programmer (and even a senior!) for cookies is such a thing... now students are asking for 100k for a junior vacancy.
So tell your potential sponsors that you are ready to reimburse 100% of the losses if the sponsor's money burns out and the business does not burn out. Not only programmers take responsibility :)

Answer 4

If you work for a share, then the enthusiasm fades very quickly and the project eventually stops. This happens for several reasons:
1. It may seem surprising, but every person needs food, and it costs money. Accordingly, projects that bring money are in unconditional priority, and in the event of a rush on money projects, a person completely drops out of the project “for a share”. 4. You have sales, which means you have some money. How will a person in a team feel if everyone earns, and he works for free?
2. Very muddy legislation and your share can easily turn into a pumpkin.
3. What is done for free is not appreciated at all. That is, the result of the work done for free = 0 rubles. It becomes obvious only in the course of work.
Sometimes it happens that no dividends are expected in the near future, and the amount of work grows exponentially and a person initially subscribed to one amount of work, but in fact received another. It can also be hard on motivation.
So all that remains is to look for funding, or new customers, tighten your belts and divide the money for everyone, since there are sales.

Answer 5

You would better tell what kind of project. Maybe some programmer would like to work in a startup for the soul, with an eye to become its co-owner in the future. Not everyone, even with a good salary, wants to work for their uncle all their lives. Good luck.

Answer 6

Even middle for 25 do not work.

Answer 7

$25 an hour for a senior? And you don't even want to pay them. Are you seriously?

Answer 8

Good programmers are now highly scarce. Even for big bucks.
The junas will light up with your idea. Which will ruin the project.
And if you want to interest an experienced one, you just need good money.
As an option: salary +%. Even though this is a salary - not the money that he receives now, but still not 20 or 50 thousand rubles.
But the salary is still needed for a person to work and not think about what he will eat tomorrow.

Answer 9

I don’t know about you, but I would look for progers on upwork! Yes, I know, look in the same city ...

Answer 10

Competent HR will solve your problem within a week. He just has to pay ;)

Answer 11

I support J_K, I would also like to see information about the technology stack)

Answer 12

I can help find