Startup founder build your product in your team

We frequently get emails such as this one from a startup founder:

… inspired by apps like uber. My partner and I would like to have a meeting with you to get an estimate on making an app.

Well, here is our response:

Dear startup founder

You can’t outsource your product development. It would help if you built it in your team, and the estimate is all the time and money you have until you make it or break it. Your purpose is not only to build a product that fits a market need but also to build the production line that refines and consistently improves the outcome.

It’s ok to hire an adviser to help you navigates the risks; it’s alright to outsource specific parts of your project to accelerate your release cycles, but most of the product development ought to happen inside your team so you can learn from your mistakes and improve upon them.

Hiring, building a team, identifying your priorities, managing your limited resources, usability testing, and all the other type of work that goes into making a successful product is part of your experience as a tech entrepreneur.

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Photo by hackNY.org