Is it just me or it is kind of hard to find people to build something with?
Hey,
I’ve been a software engineer (backend) for over nine years and have been wanting to build something on my own for a while now. I have ideas, good planning skills, and the discipline to execute, but unfortunately, I lack the experience as an entrepreneur, which I believe is an important aspect. This has led me to consider finding partners to help me bring my ideas to life or collaborate on new projects. However, it’s been challenging to find people who are committed, structured, have a long-term mindset, and maintain positive energy.
Many people get excited about a project initially, but then they disappear or lose interest when results don’t come quickly. And unfortunately, I’m not in a position to hire people at the moment.
Has anyone else been through this? How have you found people who are truly committed to the long haul?
Replies
What works for me is just seeing something completed with the skills and tools I have and being satisfied and not expecting approval or appreciations from others.
It solves the building bit or problem of searching other people just for being able to build, but it blocks you from achieving what you expect from wider audience like fame, recognition, appreciation etc. Achieving those, requires other skills (marketing, sales, promotion) which a builder might not be good at So I think the correct quest is not for likeminded people but rightly skilled people and finding that is another skill which a builder might not have. So in absence of or despite skill its luck to get right side of people working with you. Let's see if I am lucky enough to find someone to dispute the last part.
Product Hunt
Building something new is fundamentally hard in ways that most people don't understand. It's easy to build something quickly, but persisting or iterating requires some conviction or some faith. (Or just naivete!).
Don't worry - everyone lacks experience as a founder until they start something. I'd say...go for it. Check out p/introduce-yourself to meet more builders, and maybe look for some local or virtual hackathons!
@rajiv_ayyangar Hi Rajiv, totally agree, and I believe that’s exactly the value of PH: making it easier to launch and get meaningful feedback from fellow makers.
That said, I wanted to kindly flag a potential issue with the notification system. We launched a product 20+ hours ago, and a few followers from our Coming Soon page mentioned they didn’t receive any launch notifications. At this early stage, every bit of support — even just a few more upvotes or comments — really makes a difference.
Just wanted to take this chance to highlight it, and also say thanks to you and the PH team for all the amazing work you do!
Same issue here but I haven't really looked for a partner that much. I just want to build something to get the ball rolling and then look for someone to partner up with. I have many failed projects but I know I can build something useful that people will love, so it's important to not give up and keep going. I recommend to just start implementing your ideas and you will learn as you go. Just keep things small and simple so you don't abandon it when it gets complicated.
@kevin_londono
Good questions. I personally never doubted myself. I consider all the failed launches a success. When I look back at the things I built two or three years ago, I often think, Who would want to use this? That just means my idea of what makes a good product has evolved, it’s become more demanding. So next time, I can build something better.
I love building, creating, and learning along the way. I always start small so I can get something live within a month or so. That way, I never feel like I wasted my time on anything I’ve built.
Yes, there’s another approach: go all in, hire a team, and build something big. But if it doesn’t succeed, you might feel like you wasted time and a lot of money for nothing. For me, starting small works best. All I’m looking for is a few users who genuinely enjoy what I’ve built then I can take it from there.
Remember, if others have done it, we can do it too. And if no one has done it yet, we can be the first!
@irakli_k I truly appreciate your insights; I feel like my inner, strong self is talking to me haha, thanks a lot.
I will go with the first idea; I will put some confidence and effort into small projects, and then I can think on my next step. Totally reasonable.
@kevin_londono @irakli_k I would love to hear what you guys have built. I have a place, where we can get some support - the hive blockchain, if we build apps on that, then we can get community support and funding, if the idea appeals. I have few ideas as well, but not sure, if you guys have the right skill set to build that.
I think it's about finding the right community — a group that will help keep you motivated instead of relying on just one person.
We're lucky enough to be part of the Shopify developer community — the people in there are super supportive of each other and always share what they're building, which is a great motivator to keep working on your own stuff.
@kevin_londono i think the trick is that it’s always a little uncomfortable at first! There’s always some vulnerability in putting yourself out there, but most people are kinder and more welcoming than you’d expect. :)
Kevin, totally feel you. Finding committed partners is tough because excitement is easy, but consistency is rare. I’ve found it helps to focus on people with a strong “why” for building—those who’ve already launched even small projects tend to understand the grind.
Have you tried building in public? It can attract the right kind of collaborators who resonate with your mindset.
@ambika_vaishI haven't thought about building in public; it makes me feel kind of vulnerable :), but I really see your point. It makes me think a lot... And I'm willing to do it, maybe things can change in that way. Thanks!
1Stroke
Many people struggle to find committed partners for their projects. My advice is to engage in communities where like-minded individuals gather, such as local meetups or hackathons. Sharing your ideas with your network can also attract those who resonate with your vision. The more you share your ambitions, the more likely you are to meet someone with the same mindset. Building something takes time and perseverance. Keep pushing forward; your commitment will attract the right people ;)
@so_wawi I haven’t really been one to give feedback or participate, but believe me, I will, it might be very valuable. I will share more my ideas and vision. Thank you!
Kevin, you might try the following practical strategies or more flexible ways of working together:
Through a shared work history: Partner with someone you've already been through a high-pressure environment with, which provides real insight into their resilience and work style.
"Dating": test the relationship through small projects before formalizing the partnership.
Startup community engagement: e.g., regular participation in startup events and industry conferences to meet like-minded people in their natural environment.
Network of advisors: build a strong advisory board instead of a single co-founder, and access diverse expertise instead of a full-time partner
Glad I could help if the above works for you! ✨
I just felt I wrote this post. For past 5 years I have been telling myself the same thing.
Initially I thought there is a flaw in me that people saw and left, but overtime I felt it's not me, not the idea but it's the mindset of people. People now a days have less attention span (Thanks to Social media), and because of that starting something is very easy, and along the way when they see it getting hard, they tend to leave.
So in my experience of building startups and working in at least 10 over 6 years I realised, "It will always be you who will be working the maximum in your startup".
So using this ideology currently and building my company.
But yeah would love to connect with you to discuss stuff.
@nischal_kanishk Totally agree with what you said. This is a really good vision someone shared https://www.producthunt.com/p/general/is-it-just-me-or-it-is-kind-of-hard-to-find-people-to-build-something-with?comment=4604473
And for sure, I'd like to connect with you, I'd love to share visions or ideas!
I have always thought to build something new, but then hiring people and spending money and taking risk has not been a priority because, they won't feel to own the product. I would be interested to know, if you have already built something ?
@kevlon23 That's great to hear, let me know, if you would be interested to build something on a blockchain ? I have some ideas, we can discuss.
@sanjeevmbbsr I don't have experience related to blockchain but I'd love to hear and see what I can help with!
@kevlon23 we can build many types of app, they have apis, have a look at https://hive.io/ and https://developers.hive.io/ , I believe, a good front end skill (which I don't have) helps a lot. Let me know, if it sounds feasible and we can discus more.
It's very unfortunate that most people are impatience. The best thing is to find the best people who understand your vision and work with them.
All the best