Yo, i need some advice

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javabro

javabro

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So few months ago, i quit my job to do something on my own. It is going alright - no complain.

As you can see in my "I turn caffeine into code" heading - im a software guy, pretty good one i would say.

Anyway I have this rich friend (not a very close friend, but a friend nonetheless), who is also pretty good at Software and currently works in a company as good as the company i worked previously. He knows i quit to do something on my own.

Now this friend - calls me this morning and says he wants to start a Software Development company and want me to look over things.

He would pay for office space and salaries for intial staffing. He wants me to look over other devs (who aren't very good) and lead a project (a project he thinks thats gonna make money). Once that project is over, he says we can get other projects and build from there.

Here is the catch - he is not willing to quit the job he is already working. Atleast for now.

I feel like something is odd in here. Don't have that many life experiences.. :suspicious: what do u think? Should I go ahead with it? It is not going to cost me any money. But mu time ofcourse.
 
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You miss 100% of the chances you don’t take.

You can keep working on your own project meanwhile in your spare time. However you will need to put your social life on hold or get less sleep.
 
Make a clause of HOW and WHEN you can leave in the contract.
So why not try it out and see how it goes....
 
javabro said:
Here is the catch - he is not willing to quit the job he is already working. Atleast for now.
Click to expand...
Some people are more risk averse than others, so maybe quiting the job is a big deal for him. He probably wants to see whether the project will work out or not.

Sounds like he's giving the money and you're giving your time, which is basically the same thing. I don't see anything wrong with it.

Good luck if you decide to go for it!
 
Looks like a good opportunity, if its an office its gonna operate only around 8hrs or max 10. You will still get free time for your own projects & freelancing works.
 
It seems like he knows there is a risk involved if something goes wrong. Your friend is not planning to take any chances.
 
How do you get paid for your time, salary or shares?
 
Good advice in this thread so far. It could be a good opportunity and you shouldn't just pass it up, but at the same time you should have a valid exit strategy in place contractually to protect yourself, your investment/time, and if things get sketchy you bail.

If he doesn't want to quit his job that's understandable. Eventually it might be a problem and he has to decide what he wants to do tho.
 
Basically he’s wanting you to spend your hours to set it up, while he collects his monthly cheque’s, once all is set he’ll quit his job and fire you because you would have build the system and all he needs to do is advance it, so he saves time, efforts pretty smart move I would say
 
Umm, no one is asking or you are not saying. Is he paying you? If no. Then don't do it.

The project could make money it could also not make money id not give time managing others for a % of something more so if you aren't sold on the idea otherwise you would have done it without posting the question here.

You are going to have to manage other people, manage your friend and his expectations with the lower quality team he is providing and if all you are doing is injecting time for a slice of the pie id walk away.
 
If he does not wants to quit, the odds to fail with the company are high.

"It's going alright" it's not as: I am doing great, so better take the job and come back full time on IM when you can earn at least x2 of what you will earn on that salary. It also depends on the pressure you got and the life you got, if you don't care to much about money, no need to take a job.

Years ago I follow shit trends and 3/4 of my projects fail, and the 4th one just sustains the other failers and a bit leftover, not a much wow situation, so I go offline, work, keep going online on a side till I build the company which I own now, for 3-4 years and I am back online full time.

Remember: Online many things are relative so don't be so sure about your Saas project, not trying to disappoint you but can fail badly as you are a coder, not a marketer, and there are big sharks with deep pockets.

Not sure how old are you, but if you are still in your 20is, go get that money but watch out the contract small font on the end. :)
 
javabro said:
So few months ago, i quit my job to do something on my own. It is going alright - no complain.
Click to expand...

You already take the risk to quit your job, So you don't have to take any more additional risk for this decision, In my Opinion, you can accept this deal.

Probably you are the person handle the projects, and most of all rights in your hands. I feel it's another kind of experience, So Definitely You can take it,
 
This is what I wanted. Arguments on both side. Thanks guys

@t2van
Yes, he isn't going to pay me any money. That's the risk I am taking. But he is not set on the idea too. He just wants to start something. I wouldn't mind getting the experience of managing people as I want to start a company too.

Meddie said:
If he does not wants to quit, the odds to fail with the company are high.

"It's going alright" it's not as: I am doing great, so better take the job and come back full time on IM when you can earn at least x2 of what you will earn on that salary. It also depends on the pressure you got and the life you got, if you don't care to much about money, no need to take a job.

Years ago I follow shit trends and 3/4 of my projects fail, and the 4th one just sustains the other failers and a bit leftover, not a much wow situation, so I go offline, work, keep going online on a side till I build the company which I own now, for 3-4 years and I am back online full time.

Remember: Online many things are relative so don't be so sure about your Saas project, not trying to disappoint you but can fail badly as you are a coder, not a marketer, and there are big sharks with deep pockets.

Not sure how old are you, but if you are still in your 20is, go get that money but watch out the contract small font on the end. :)
Click to expand...
I appreciate your advice.
I said it is going "alright" coz - my "great" is a pretty big target. I live in a third world country man.
I have people contacting me few times a week offering me freelance development work. People who i have worked with before.

Technically I can survive years without having to work in a job. I am pretty sure I made the right call.

I know the chances of my saas failing is way higher than i get right it first time. But I enjoy working on it. It wasn't the case when i work in a company. It is much important for me.
 
Last edited:
@t2van see my reply above. :) bHW don't give ya notification on edited posts..
 
I understand your friend but, I understand why are you so skeptical also.

He has that sense of security as far as his job is concerned and he has not yet broken through the part where he feels safe on the other side and that is probably the problem. If you have time, try it because it's all one big life experience and at the same time, you never know how it can end and in which direction it can go.
 
javabro said:
I have people contacting me few times a week offering me freelance development work. People who i have worked with before.

Technically I can survive years without having to work in a job. I am pretty sure I made the right call.
Click to expand...

Based on the fact your not getting paid, and the above quote, you should work on your own SAAS instead.
 
Hey man, I think im coming kinda late to the party but here is some advice that I think no one has mentioned yet, if you decide to take the oportunity you should be very careful with teh amount of work and dedication you will put into it it has happened to many friends of mine that given this chance in pretty similar situations they try to give their best and put a lot of heart and soul into these projects just for their "friend" to take away the credit and not really apreciating all the time and effort they put into the project, i guess my advice to not give you a very long anwser is, if you are going to do it try not go the extra mile or at least try to be really careful while doing it, try your best to work hard enough for things to run smoothly, remember man it will be you that will be the one in the front line it better be for a cause you truly believe in. I hope my advice was useful peace my man and I hope you find your way
 
javabro said:
@t2van see my reply above. :) bHW don't give ya notification on edited posts..
Click to expand...

Nah I wouldn't do it.

You will get some additional work and then you have pressure of dealing with the paying work vs managing a team of developers and so on. If he was paying you I could understand it, but he wants a business or idea made without putting any time in on it or paying for privilege of having it developed. It's a cluster f*ck in the making.

Walk away. Keep the friendship for another time.

OR you can do it and learn from your own experience and try to educate someone in the future not to do it for the same reasons ;)

I don't think as well you get the chance to really manage people till you have to do it yourself in terms of managing every little thing that comes with it from insurance to tax and dealing with water cooler talk. Sure you get an insight and might learn some people skills, but it's not the same.
 
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