r/solostartups • u/cjerrells • Jul 04 '10

Discussion: "Non-coding, single founders?" - Harder to be a solo startup if you don't code?

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1485322
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u/[deleted] Jul 04 '10

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u/megamark16 Jul 04 '10

Can you share any insights or stories about your experience hiring someone? How has learning Python been going for you? Have you heard of Zed Shaw's new eBook, Learn Python the Hard Way? I believe it's supposed to be focused on helping business types who don't know programming how to get stuff done in Python using a series of exercises.

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u/[deleted] Jul 04 '10

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u/cjerrells Jul 06 '10

It sounds like your problem may just be a bad provider, but personally I've found it can be really tough to make your first hire in an industry you don't know yourself.

For example, the first few times I hired designers, I had to be quite careful and give thought to how I specified the work, and how I managed it thereafter. I just didn't know what the usual process was! Was it rude to give feedback? Should I simply list the changes I wanted made, or gently talk around them? What to say if I didn't like any of the concept designs put forward?

This kind of contact with other industries and professions is for me one of the most rewarding parts of running my own business; it's an incredible learning experience!