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Think you have a great idea for a new co? Then go find talent to join you.

Posted by: Lesa Mitchell on May 23, 2011 Source: e360 Blog

There is a myth out there about the sole entrepreneur who has the idea, starts the company and gets rich.  While there might be cases where this does happen – more frequently there is a team of two, three or four individuals.  You can read about these stories in Jessica Livingston's Founders At Work and David Thomson's BluePrint to a Billion.  I would like to encourage all single inventor idea guys or gals to think about finding team mates that can broaden your network, bring more ideas and actually help implement your dream of a new company.  There are places you can actually go to look for your team mates.  Startup Digest has the most extensive list of "co-founders wanted", Tech Starts web site, even #jobs on twitter will find individuals looking for early stage team members.  Additionally our own Kauffman Foundation platform iStart.org, you can search ideas that have been vetted, submitted and sometimes won national business plan competitions.  Find an idea that you like and contact the entrepreneur to discuss potential collaborations.  Part of your success as an entrepreneur will be your ability to sell other people on your idea.  Test that out by finding a startup team mate.

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11 Comments

RE: Think you have a great idea for a new company Then go find talent to join you
May 24, 2011 @ 11:12 AM
Tyler Kendall said...
Great points. I think it's unreasonable to start a company completely solo, especially if it's new tech or a novel idea. You might have the idea, but not the skills to develop and execute a complete business plan.
I just read a great book about entrepreneurship in America called The Evolution of the American Dream (http://www.entrepreneurial-america.com). It's really interesting- the basic premise is that the American Dream has shifted from working a 9-5 job to innovating. Entrepreneurship is really the foundation of our economy's future.
RE: Think you have a great idea for a new company Then go find talent to join you
May 25, 2011 @ 10:08 AM
Rakan said...
I totally agree with the post. However, how you can handle issues like equity and ownership of the business and the main idea. The entrepreneur is willing to share and give some but the problem that I see and experience is that there are no tools in place to determine the percentages and equities. if the entrepreneur is the solo owner and inventor of the business idea but a partner brought the network, how to determine that? It's hard especially in startups where the focus in the beginning is to grow the business but soon later it become who should eat the pie.
RE: Think you have a great idea for a new company Then go find talent to join you
May 28, 2011 @ 04:53 PM
Rattan said...
But..., the problem is in the solution. Is it easy to find new talent to join us? And the budget will be different too.
RE: Think you have a great idea for a new company Then go find talent to join you
May 31, 2011 @ 11:02 PM
lingerie said...
I agree with your post, we have to have a partner in business / team mate, but in reality is hard to find a solid team mate..with the same vision and mission..But it is a good point to consolidate our business power.
RE: Think you have a great idea for a new company Then go find talent to join you
June 02, 2011 @ 03:42 AM
tashmi islam said...
Great points. I think it's unreasonable to start a company completely solo, especially if it's new tech or a novel idea. You might have the idea, but not the skills to develop and execute a complete business plan.
I just read a great book about entrepreneurship in America called The Evolution of the American Dream (http://www.entrepreneurial-america.com). It's really interesting- the basic premise is that the American Dream has shifted from working a 9-5 job to innovating. Entrepreneurship is really the foundation of our economy's future.
RE: Think you have a great idea for a new company Then go find talent to join you
June 05, 2011 @ 07:36 AM
karl oreste said...
My partners and i we are looking for people that want to invest in green energy in south Florida.Please any one that is a genuine investor is welcome to contact me at karlfinance@yahoo.com
RE: Think you have a great idea for a new company Then go find talent to join you
August 05, 2011 @ 08:52 AM
DragonLeaders said...
Starting your business doesn't mean you have to go it "alone". Understandably budget is a big issue, I've been there before. It is still important to surround yourself with good people - creatively. For example: interns and uni students for work experience, advisers (from support agencies), entrepreneur networks and mentors. You can get valuable help at both operational and strategic level, at no extra cost!
RE: Think you have a great idea for a new company Then go find talent to join you
August 23, 2011 @ 02:32 AM
http://newbury.universityhotelnetwork.com/ said...
great post, as always! :-D i love this site!
RE: Think you have a great idea for a new company Then go find talent to join you
September 05, 2011 @ 03:44 PM
Reputation Management said...
Nice post. I totally agree with you. It always should join talented in a new company.
RE: Think you have a great idea for a new company Then go find talent to join you
September 14, 2011 @ 04:01 PM
DragonLeaders said...
A good post to demystify what entrepreneurship is about. "Going it alone" is misleading (and can be painful and costly); if team-mate can't be found, it is always beneficial to find a mentor and/or trusted peer to bounce off ideas.
RE: Think you have a great idea for a new company Then go find talent to join you
September 16, 2011 @ 01:41 PM
Bill Matters said...
One must figure out what he does poorly that he must do well, and farm that out. For example, most people are not good at proofreading their work. They ought to own up and delegate the task to a competent service.

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