Our startup is looking for that All-Start CTO and have been reviewing candidates, but falling flat. What are some of the networks/communities out there where people have found talent looking to jump on board startups? Especially those with traction and revenue!
The posting on Startuphire will help clarify some questions about who we are and what stage we are at. I left the url and description out from this post because I wanted the topic to be less about our company, specifically, and more about the talent pools, networks, and meetups that are in the area for people to connect, talk, and find suitable candidates to join our team.
The startup has a working product/service and generates a modest amount of revenue. Those details are private. The startup is 1.5 yrs old and has thousands of paid customers.
go to http://initlabs.com, at the bottom I have put links to 3 blog posts I found from hacker news that is a must read. That will give you an idea about hiring for new startups.
Maybe I should restate my question, but first - yes, we have a working product/service and yes we want a CTO. We have a strategy, support network, growth plans, ect and are executing them appropriately.
My concern is less about " Hey guys, help me out finding a free developer" There is nothing 'free' about our job position and I'm not looking to scrutinize the semantics of the job title. As we all know, we all wear multiple hats. You can call the title what you'd like, but our job description is clear (posted on startuphire).
My main concern is that during our process of finding the right candidate, I've noticed a dwindling talent pool. I am new to the Silicon Valley area and expected those resources to have more exposure in the area - through networks, meetups, ect. Being the new kid on the block, I feel like I am missing some cool hangout that everyone knows about or something.
Sorry for almost jumping to conclusions. I'm always overwhelmed with people asking me "do you know anyone who can be my CTO" but what they really mean is "do you know anyone who would program my app for free." This definitely doesn't sound like you.
I hate to be completely unhelpful, but I'm in Phoenix, AZ. Talent here is also few and far between.
my honest suggestion would be not to just interview and hire a CTO, CTO for a successful startup should be a friend, partner, who has the passion for what your startup is about, not just someone who is capable of doing the job. Best way to find that person is networking at local tech events, incubators... keep an eye out for people's blog / comments on various blogs about your field of startup, that will reveal passionate people, contact them..
Are you sure you want a CTO, or do you really want a free developer/tech-cofounder?
A CTO is someone who offers technical leadership, usually over a development team in a startup. Do you have a team of developers that needs leading?
I agree with krisrak, but you allude to his first point. If you have revenue, I'm guessing you have a product.
For kirsrak's second point, you have to realize that most technical cofounder candidates will think (although may not ask outright) "Why wouldn't I just take your idea, build it without you, and own 100% of the company?" If you have revenue, then the answer is that you've hopefully gone through enough customer development and iterations to achieve a product-market fit.
- at what stage is the startup at, how much pre-work is done?
- what do you bring to the table? (other than idea, idea is worth nothing)
- why should anybody work for your startup vs starting my own?