Entrepreneurship: Startup founder skills/background

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applejack🧐

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applejack🧐
Apr 21, 2021 5 Comments

Hello TechWorld,

I’m like the thousands of other wantrepreneurs. With that out of the way, I’ve been thinking hard about building a true skill set to monetize later down the road, whether it be in the form of:
I) Tech Startup
II) Consulting

If all else fails, I’ll be a decently paid employee.

I currently do finance/accounting/Hr work (4 YOE) which doesn’t really lead to any “impactful” skills to necessarily build a tech startup. In a sense you can argue, sure, anyone can start a subscription box company, laundromat, etc., but what about a tech startup in particular?

I’m wondering, in your opinion, what some of you successful startup founders would recommend I build my skills in:

I) Coding? Should I try and become a SWE for a couple years to build tangible skills?

II) Switch to Sales/Marketing/Operations, hack at it and find a startup technical founder?

III) Try and jump to PM? Are there actual skills here that would lend itself to be valuable? I figure specially in a “tech” startup, you can’t really have a PM without a product, and you need an eng (if PM can’t code) to build a product? So, ultimately can’t that eng act as an eng/PM in the early phases?

I’m mostly extroverted and actual enjoy doing public speaking... but I do understand the value of great engineering skills.

What would you do?
#startup #entrepreneur #entrepreneurship

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TOP 5 Comments
  • Microsoft / Product
    saladd

    Go to company page Microsoft Product

    saladd
    I disagree with the premise. It’s not your skill set that you monetize. All that matters is what you chose to sell and how you decide sell it. The best way to learn how to do this is through experience. Start a business today (even just a small side hustle) and see where it takes you. Looking for entrepreneurial experience outside of the entrepreneurial realm makes little sense to me.
    Apr 22, 2021 0
  • New
    oddheaven

    New

    oddheaven
    Sales/Marketing
    You will always be able to find an engineer or designer who will love their job to build a product.
    But no one can sell your product as good as a sales co-founder.
    Apr 21, 2021 2
    • Twitter
      applejack🧐

      Go to company page Twitter

      applejack🧐
      OP
      Good take, are you in sales?
      Apr 21, 2021
    • New
      oddheaven

      New

      oddheaven
      I am not. Wish I had some help there. Sale/Marketing is not only helpful when you have product but also just to understand the problem or talk to potential customers.
      Apr 21, 2021
  • New
    hugh jarse

    New

    hugh jarse
    sales.
    Apr 22, 2021 0