“But I have a founder who is convinced that you need money first then prototypes and that nothing in her proposition needs any tech that you cannot buy off the self.”
FWIW, when people get into YCombinator, the first lesson they drive home is to talk to users and ship product.
I agree wholly. But fear is real and understandable.
My playbook used to be:
1) Have an idea
2) Identify any customers, Ideally one who is in a terrible emotional distress that they do not have that solution you have come up with. If you cant find one move on to another idea quickly.
3) Ask them if they want your solution - show storyboards.
4) Ask them to pay costs to build it and feed you ramen.
5) Ensure that the software, since they paid next to nothing for it, is yours. 6) Go sell it like Larry to a few more.
7) Show invetsor types once you start growing and getting longer contracts.
ACTUALLY HUGE KUDOS THANK YOU FOR THAT!!! Yes, exactly what I thought. She would do so well with another person who cares about the retail experience as much as she does. THANK YOU AGAIN!!! :-)
FWIW, when people get into YCombinator, the first lesson they drive home is to talk to users and ship product.
Build tech isn’t on that list.
People young and old, mess this part up.