Being an entrepreneur often results in having to learn new skills or leave your comfort zone in order to save resources and build fast. However, one major stumbling block for many potential entrepreneurs is the technical or development skills required to build a software startup.
Having a great idea, but being limited by your lack of technical capability can be a huge hurdle for many entrepreneurs. But, what if there was a way for you to build that company you want to build without being a developer?
Here’s why you should consider building a software company regardless of what your technical background is.
Startups aren’t only built on code
We know that it is a common myth in the entrepreneurial community that technology startups need a technically savvy founder. While being a talented coder is a plus point, what really helps a company succeed is having a strong idea and the business skills to run a company efficiently and effectively.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with learning how to code, but it shouldn’t be the sole criteria that you base the success of your company on.
You can build the team you need
Step 1: Have a great idea
Step 2: Find someone with development skills who shares in your vision and hire them or give them equity
Step 3: Build a great company.
There you go. We summarised everything you need to do.
For those who need a bit more information, building a successful startup isn’t a solo journey, so you need to build the right team. From a culture, work process and efficiency standpoint, hiring the right people is crucial.
While you may seek talent as the first criteria (it is crucial), what about finding the right fit for your business. It is crucial that the person must fit the job and the company and vice versa.
Focus on getting the fundamentals right
Development talent does not a successful company make.
You have to look at what makes a great company, rather than how amazing your product is and how smooth the UI feels. That’s great to have, but if no one uses or wants to use your product, then what is the use of it all.
We break down the fundamentals into a few simple points. While it isn’t exhaustive, it is a good starting point for many companies:
- Great idea: Are you solving a problem? Is it saving people money and providing the same level of service?
- Solid business plan: So you’ve started a company, what’s next? Do you know how you will expand? What are your funding options?
- Marketing: How are you going to let your customers know that you exist? How do you reach that small group of investors to let them know you’re absolutely going to kill it.
- Operational excellence: Everything is set up and we’re good to go, but who does what and where should that person be right now? You need to have an experienced and talented person who can turn your vision into an actual working business.
Find your superpower and use it well
As a founder, you need to do everything. However, as a human being, chances are, you’re not perfect at every single thing your business needs. You need to find what you’re good at and make it work for your business.
Let’s break it down into an example, I am sure every single person who reads this will know – Steve Jobs, a guy who worked at Apple.
Steve Jobs, probably the most well-known name in the tech industry, never coded for Apple. He ran the company, got fired, got re-hired and then built one of the largest companies in the whole world.
He knew what he was good at and he focused on that. Let Steve Wozniak do the coding he thought, probably better than me and I can go and sell Apple to the world and investors.
So don’t be discouraged. He only built Apple, launched the Mac, iPod, iPhone and a bunch of accessories no one needed, and he never wrote a line of code in his life. You just need to find your superpower and use it to build a company that you really want to build. You can find your Steve Wozniak in time.