We often find tech-oriented people looking for a business-oriented partner for their new start-up, so what is it about a non-tech entrepreneur starting a tech business that seems so scary?
Every person with an idea that they believe in is someone who should definitely go for it, and in a world like ours, with our level of technological advancements and the post-pandemic restrictions, it’s virtually impossible to launch a startup and pull it off without using at least some level of technology.
With AI technology causing disruptive changes in the world of business, and the average consumer getting more and more tech-savvy by the day, it’s about time entrepreneurs get on board with the idea.
Has It Been Done Before?
The short answer is yes, it has been done before. Multiple times, in fact.
One of the biggest examples of a non-tech person starting a successful tech business is Steve Jobs, who wasn’t a coder. And yet, today Apple is one of the biggest tech companies in the world.
Other examples include Airbnb, which was co-created by Brian Chesky, an industrial designer. On the other hand, we have Pinterest, co-created by Ben Silberman who has a background in political science.
There are many other instances of a non-tech person coming up with a brilliant idea, and pulling it off with the right attitude, hard work, and help.
Things a Business Needs That Aren’t Tech-Related
There are certain skills and non-technical knowledge that will forever remain relevant, even in the midst of the new digital transformation. Sure, technology helps a lot in fueling business growth, but only if the business leadership possesses the right knowledge and skills to use it wisely.
A new start-up needs these things in its leaders to be successful:
- Knowledge of how a business is run: From administrative tactics to best industry practices, the correct legal procedures to follow, and the latest trends in marketing, a business needs a lot of other cogs in its machine to function other than just technical expertise.
- Every business needs a strong leader, who can not only guide their team forward and keep everything on track but also network with other players in the field. The leader also needs to be charismatic and confident, with the ability to make others believe in their goal and invest in it.
- Financial expertise is one of the most important things for a businessman to have. Every start-up needs one person to handle the money side of things, be it the tax filing or making sure the financial records are kept up to date, or even just to make sure the revenue coming in is reinvested and spent on the startup the right way.
These are just some of the few things even a tech-based startup needs in order to run successfully, and you can definitely go out looking for someone with the technical knowledge to help you realize your vision.
Steps You Can Take To Launch a Successful Startup
Now that you know that it’s well within your powers to start a tech company with limited technological expertise, you can move on to learning how to actually do it. The most important thing to keep in mind is that your lack of technical knowledge will only be a problem if you’re unwilling to learn along the way.
Is Your Idea Worth It?
We don’t mean to be that guy, but you need to take a long hard look at your business idea before you proceed. According to Forbes, about 42% of all tech startups fail because they were investing time and energy in a product with no real demand. The reason that most tech startups by non-tech entrepreneurs stand a chance of success is because the technology itself is not the most important thing. As with startups of all kinds, the real thing that matters is that the idea behind it is one worth investing in.
Build a Reliable Network
If you’re stepping into the world of tech startups, be prepared to feel like a fish out of water for at least a little while. However, if you have the right people skills (an absolute necessity in the world of business), you won’t have to feel that way for too long.
Having the right support system and knowing the right people can be the difference between success and failure for your tech venture, so make sure that you don’t spend every day locked up in an office, thinking you’re doing your startup a favor by destroying your social life for it!
Learn From Other Startups
It’s important to do case studies and evaluate what other startups did right, but it’s even more important to study the failed startups and see what they did wrong.
It’s important to know the right way to do things, but sometimes it’s even more important to know the wrong way to do things, so you can avoid those mistakes. It aligns perfectly with a business’s need to have emergency protocols and risk management policies in place. When you know what could go wrong, you can take steps to fix it, and that is yet another reason why your tech startup definitely needs you.
Find The Right Partner
Of course, you’ll need someone with the right technical knowledge for your venture, and the most common way to go about this is to employ the help of a nerd in your vicinity, then call yourself co-founders. It isn’t, however, a great idea if you want all the glory and the rewards for yourself. Getting a partner is risky business, too. We’d be lying if we said someone, somewhere hasn’t suffered because they trusted the wrong person with half their business.
If that’s the case, you can go down a different path and outsource your technological needs to a different company, or even an IT team. That way, you can stay the owner of the business and get all the help you need. Here are some of the things you need to keep in mind when outsourcing your startup’s technical needs:
- Make sure they understand your vision for the business, so they can develop the technology needed to make it a reality. If you don’t give the team the proper guidance and instructions, they will only be operating on guesswork, and eventually, damage your business in its most precarious beginning stages.
- You can hire a technical consultant for guidance in this case. Instead of communicating with the whole IT team, you can take your queries to a consultant. You’re sure to know one if you’ve been doing your networking right. Ask them what the best approach for your business would be.
- Decide if your startup will be product-focused or customer-focused. Product-focused startups usually need to constantly update their product and make sure it keeps up with the times, while customer-focused startups can change their whole business trajectory completely, as long as it keeps the customer happy. Not knowing what your startup is will have you teetering at the edge of the line, and only harm your business in the long run.
If you want both consultancy and the right kind of experts at your fingertips, all under the same roof, you can contact tech.us for our services. We’ll make sure that you get all the tools you need to realize your startup vision and develop proper roadmaps to make it happen.
Focus on the Right Things
When building your own company from scratch, you need to keep your eyes on the horizon. What that means is, you need to focus on the things that really matter, and not get caught up in the little stuff. Scuffles between partners, minor hiccups in the development process, and having to change your business approach multiple times is all part of the package, but as long as you stay focused on your long-term vision you’ll be fine.
Tackle One Problem at a Time
During the course of your venture, countless ugly problems will rear their head, but it’s your job not to get so lost in solving them that they swallow you whole.
Tackle one problem at a time, and every time you do, solve it in a way that aligns with your long-term vision for your business. If a particular compromise will mitigate the conflict for now but harm your business vision in the long-term, don’t accept it.
Brush up on Technical Knowledge
Even if you hire the best tech team you can, you’ll still need to learn a thing or two to be able to effectively communicate with them. Acquiring at least some basic technical knowledge will not only make communication easier and less time-consuming but it’ll also help you make sure you don’t demand things from your team that they simply can’t provide.
On the flip side of the coin, it’ll also ensure that no sneaky tech worker can take advantage of your lack of knowledge. To avoid cases like this, try hiring a trustworthy team of specialists, like us!
Keep Your Vision Front and Centre!
Even when you’re not busy mediating conflicts and solving problems, you’ll have to rethink your business strategy more than once. Your customers can change their minds in a heartbeat, anything can go wrong in the developmental process, and things may or may not be coming together how you thought they would.
In each and every case, whenever you change direction, you need to make sure it still leads to where you wanted to be by the end of one, or five, or ten years.
End Note
In the end, you need to keep in mind that you can and you should start a tech-based business, even if you lack the knowledge. There are a dozen different ways you can make up for it and bring extra help into the business, and if the idea is sound, it could mean tremendous growth for both your professional and personal life.
