{"id":1180,"date":"2017-03-07T10:52:39","date_gmt":"2017-03-07T10:52:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/?p=1180"},"modified":"2021-03-26T12:27:00","modified_gmt":"2021-03-26T12:27:00","slug":"why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/","title":{"rendered":"Why the Rockstar developer will kill your startup"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"I'm
I’m a Rockstar!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Everywhere you look, a startup (or, in many instances, a man with half-a-plan) is seeking a ‘Rockstar’ developer or ‘Ninja’ to help take their fledgling idea and make it happen. Of course, they can’t pay you in cash, but they will offer a generous equity deal and you’ll proudly wear the prestigious title of CTO.<\/p>\n

This is almost always a fatal mistake and will kill your startup. If you are doing this, or even thinking about it, stop right now, thank you very much. You need somebody with the human touch<\/a> (apologies for the Spice Girls reference).<\/p>\n

It’s not unusual to see very small startups consisting of a few people where the co-founders are using grandiose\u00a0titles. Often we will find a business consisting of a CEO, a CTO and no-one else, and really, there’s nothing wrong with a bit of ambition and aspiration. The reality is though, that unless these individuals have been CxO of a large organisation , then they will lack the skill and experience expected with these monikers. In counterpoint, if they have parachuted in from executive positions in big business, they almost certainly lack a ‘startup mindset’. It sounds like we’re all doomed!<\/p>\n

\"Sometimes
Sometimes I enjoy Doom<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The CEO knows he needs a CTO for his technology startup because he\/she won’t be taken seriously without one, but they also need the product built, and this requirement tends to blind the inexperienced entrepreneur as to what a good CTO will do. We can sum up what you need from a CTO in one succinct sentence:<\/p>\n

The Chief Technology Officer is responsible for ensuring the organisation\u2019s technical strategy is aligned with its business objectives.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

That is it! Nothing about being a full stack developer; nothing about being able to show an array of Github projects; nothing about experience in AI and machine learning; and nothing hinting at groupies or guitars, shurikens or shaolin.<\/p>\n

There is nothing wrong with wanting a skilled software engineer on board to own the product development, but it is important to understand that a lead developer is not a CTO and that the skill sets required to excel at each role are different, albeit overlapping.<\/p>\n

If the person you are looking for describes themselves as Rockstar or Ninja they are not the right person to hold a strategic role at your company. Similarly, if you think that’s the sort of person you are looking for, you need to examine the factors that are most critical to the success of your business (as it’s not about building the best product known to man in the shortest amount of time<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Lead Developers can grow\u00a0the necessary skills to progress\u00a0into a CTO position providing they understand that the role looks far more like that of a Manager than that of a Programmer. But if your business is not making the right strategic decisions from day one<\/a>, especially when it comes to the technology roadmap, then you’ll be heading for a whole world of pain. If your co-founder doesn’t have what it takes to step up to this strategic role then at some point they will need to be replaced or someone else will need to be promoted ahead of them. The fall out that would likely follow from such a decision would undoubtedly jeopardise any future the business may have.<\/p>\n

So when seeking a technical co-founder<\/a>, remember that their judgement, experience and ability to adapt to fluid situations is worth far more to your business than their familiarity with the latest trend in JavaScript frameworks.<\/p>\n

Image supplied under a creative commons licence by Billy Gast<\/a>\u00a0and Alec Wilson<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Everywhere you look, a startup (or, in many instances, a man with half-a-plan) is seeking a ‘Rockstar’ developer or ‘Ninja’ to help take their fledgling idea and make it happen. Of course, they can’t pay you in cash, but they will offer a generous equity deal and you’ll proudly wear the prestigious title of CTO.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1194,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"neve_meta_sidebar":"","neve_meta_container":"","neve_meta_enable_content_width":"","neve_meta_content_width":0,"neve_meta_title_alignment":"","neve_meta_author_avatar":"","neve_post_elements_order":"","neve_meta_disable_header":"","neve_meta_disable_footer":"","neve_meta_disable_title":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[50,109,139,166,167,194,206],"class_list":["post-1180","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cofounders","tag-cto","tag-lead-developer","tag-ninja","tag-roadmap","tag-rockstar","tag-startegy","tag-technology"],"yoast_head":"\nWhy the Rockstar developer will kill your startup - Flinca Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Everywhere you look, a startup (or, in many instances, a man with half-a-plan) is seeking a 'Rockstar' developer or 'Ninja' to help take their fledgling idea and make it happen. Of course, they can't pay you in cash, but they will offer a generous equity deal and you'll proudly wear the prestigious title of CTO.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why the Rockstar developer will kill your startup - Flinca Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Everywhere you look, a startup (or, in many instances, a man with half-a-plan) is seeking a 'Rockstar' developer or 'Ninja' to help take their fledgling idea and make it happen. Of course, they can't pay you in cash, but they will offer a generous equity deal and you'll proudly wear the prestigious title of CTO.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Flinca Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2017-03-07T10:52:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-03-26T12:27:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/rockstar2.jpg?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"512\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Philip Wattis\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@flincauk\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@flincauk\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Philip Wattis\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Philip Wattis\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/387cd5483031c1f896258d25b3a51cdd\"},\"headline\":\"Why the Rockstar developer will kill your startup\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-03-07T10:52:39+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-03-26T12:27:00+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":640,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/rockstar2.jpg?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"CTO\",\"lead developer\",\"ninja\",\"roadmap\",\"rockstar\",\"startegy\",\"technology\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Cofounders\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\\\/\",\"name\":\"Why the Rockstar developer will kill your startup - Flinca Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/rockstar2.jpg?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2017-03-07T10:52:39+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-03-26T12:27:00+00:00\",\"description\":\"Everywhere you look, a startup (or, in many instances, a man with half-a-plan) is seeking a 'Rockstar' developer or 'Ninja' to help take their fledgling idea and make it happen. Of course, they can't pay you in cash, but they will offer a generous equity deal and you'll proudly wear the prestigious title of CTO.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/rockstar2.jpg?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/rockstar2.jpg?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1\",\"width\":1024,\"height\":512,\"caption\":\"I'm a Rockstar!\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Why the Rockstar developer will kill your startup\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Flinca Blog\",\"description\":\"A Brummie Talks Tech Startups\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Flinca Ltd\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/fstar-e1616687729648.jpg?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/i0.wp.com\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/fstar-e1616687729648.jpg?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1\",\"width\":64,\"height\":64,\"caption\":\"Flinca Ltd\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/x.com\\\/flincauk\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/387cd5483031c1f896258d25b3a51cdd\",\"name\":\"Philip Wattis\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8bc056e5ab24cce1e197c038e341d25732daad60ea22b4c1359d4983a309e8bd?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8bc056e5ab24cce1e197c038e341d25732daad60ea22b4c1359d4983a309e8bd?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/8bc056e5ab24cce1e197c038e341d25732daad60ea22b4c1359d4983a309e8bd?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Philip Wattis\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.flinca.com\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/philw123\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Why the Rockstar developer will kill your startup - Flinca Blog","description":"Everywhere you look, a startup (or, in many instances, a man with half-a-plan) is seeking a 'Rockstar' developer or 'Ninja' to help take their fledgling idea and make it happen. Of course, they can't pay you in cash, but they will offer a generous equity deal and you'll proudly wear the prestigious title of CTO.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Why the Rockstar developer will kill your startup - Flinca Blog","og_description":"Everywhere you look, a startup (or, in many instances, a man with half-a-plan) is seeking a 'Rockstar' developer or 'Ninja' to help take their fledgling idea and make it happen. Of course, they can't pay you in cash, but they will offer a generous equity deal and you'll proudly wear the prestigious title of CTO.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/","og_site_name":"Flinca Blog","article_published_time":"2017-03-07T10:52:39+00:00","article_modified_time":"2021-03-26T12:27:00+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":512,"url":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/rockstar2.jpg?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Philip Wattis","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@flincauk","twitter_site":"@flincauk","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Philip Wattis","Estimated reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/"},"author":{"name":"Philip Wattis","@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/387cd5483031c1f896258d25b3a51cdd"},"headline":"Why the Rockstar developer will kill your startup","datePublished":"2017-03-07T10:52:39+00:00","dateModified":"2021-03-26T12:27:00+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/"},"wordCount":640,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/rockstar2.jpg?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1","keywords":["CTO","lead developer","ninja","roadmap","rockstar","startegy","technology"],"articleSection":["Cofounders"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/","url":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/","name":"Why the Rockstar developer will kill your startup - Flinca Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/rockstar2.jpg?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1","datePublished":"2017-03-07T10:52:39+00:00","dateModified":"2021-03-26T12:27:00+00:00","description":"Everywhere you look, a startup (or, in many instances, a man with half-a-plan) is seeking a 'Rockstar' developer or 'Ninja' to help take their fledgling idea and make it happen. Of course, they can't pay you in cash, but they will offer a generous equity deal and you'll proudly wear the prestigious title of CTO.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/rockstar2.jpg?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/rockstar2.jpg?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1","width":1024,"height":512,"caption":"I'm a Rockstar!"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/why-the-rockstar-developer-will-kill-your-startup\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Why the Rockstar developer will kill your startup"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/","name":"Flinca Blog","description":"A Brummie Talks Tech Startups","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Flinca Ltd","url":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/fstar-e1616687729648.jpg?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/fstar-e1616687729648.jpg?fit=64%2C64&ssl=1","width":64,"height":64,"caption":"Flinca Ltd"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/x.com\/flincauk"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/387cd5483031c1f896258d25b3a51cdd","name":"Philip Wattis","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8bc056e5ab24cce1e197c038e341d25732daad60ea22b4c1359d4983a309e8bd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8bc056e5ab24cce1e197c038e341d25732daad60ea22b4c1359d4983a309e8bd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8bc056e5ab24cce1e197c038e341d25732daad60ea22b4c1359d4983a309e8bd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Philip Wattis"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog"],"url":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/author\/philw123\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/rockstar2.jpg?fit=1024%2C512&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1225,"url":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/7-reasons-your-startup-cannot-secure-a-cto\/","url_meta":{"origin":1180,"position":0},"title":"7 reasons your startup cannot secure a CTO","author":"Philip Wattis","date":"22 March 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"There are two questions I am asked by new startup founders far more frequently than anything else. The first is 'How can I raise funds to finance my product build?' and the second, 'Where can I find a CTO to help build my product?'","rel":"","context":"In "Cofounders"","block_context":{"text":"Cofounders","link":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/category\/cofounders\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Searching the Galaxy for a CTO","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/cto_search.jpg?fit=1200%2C601&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/cto_search.jpg?fit=1200%2C601&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/cto_search.jpg?fit=1200%2C601&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/cto_search.jpg?fit=1200%2C601&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/cto_search.jpg?fit=1200%2C601&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1049,"url":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/starting-without-a-cto-the-no-code-mvp\/","url_meta":{"origin":1180,"position":1},"title":"Starting without a CTO – The no-code MVP","author":"Philip Wattis","date":"4 May 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"If you've ever had a smart tech idea and the only thing holding you back was a failure to find someone who shared your vision and build the product, then you are not alone.","rel":"","context":"In "Strategy"","block_context":{"text":"Strategy","link":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/category\/business-2\/strategy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Do you need any code?","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/lines_of_code.jpg?fit=1024%2C684&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/lines_of_code.jpg?fit=1024%2C684&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/lines_of_code.jpg?fit=1024%2C684&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/lines_of_code.jpg?fit=1024%2C684&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1122,"url":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/the-importance-of-a-technology-strategy\/","url_meta":{"origin":1180,"position":2},"title":"The importance of a Technology Strategy","author":"Philip Wattis","date":"10 August 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The importance of having a Technology Strategy for your startup cannot be underestimated. To choose wrongly could prove to be an enormously costly mistake that only becomes apparent many months later. Before a line of code is written, having the right Technology Strategy in place will save you time and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Strategy"","block_context":{"text":"Strategy","link":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/category\/business-2\/strategy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Choosing the right Technology Strategy","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/technology_strategy.jpg?fit=600%2C399&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/technology_strategy.jpg?fit=600%2C399&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/technology_strategy.jpg?fit=600%2C399&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1020,"url":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/the-lean-startup-myth\/","url_meta":{"origin":1180,"position":3},"title":"The Lean Startup Myth","author":"Philip Wattis","date":"19 April 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The Lean Startup is a legendary book in technology startup circles and not without good reason. The methods discussed by its author, Eric Ries have created a blueprint that many budding entrepreneurs make avid use of in their quest for success. Indeed, many refer to it as THE Startup Bible.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Strategy"","block_context":{"text":"Strategy","link":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/category\/business-2\/strategy\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The Lean Startup - Eric Ries","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/TheLeanStartup.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/TheLeanStartup.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/TheLeanStartup.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/TheLeanStartup.jpg?fit=1024%2C576&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":561,"url":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/hey-mr-startup-are-you-a-thief\/","url_meta":{"origin":1180,"position":4},"title":"Hey Mr Startup, are you a thief?","author":"Philip Wattis","date":"15 February 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"There's a simple mistake many startups are making with their online presence which is costing them sales, and it's easy to put right. The issue is that I have no way of knowing whether you are a thief, crook, cowboy or combination of all three.","rel":"","context":"In "Business"","block_context":{"text":"Business","link":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/category\/business-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Online Thief","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/online_thief.jpg?fit=375%2C329&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":837,"url":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/securing-a-technical-co-founder-facts-myths-tips\/","url_meta":{"origin":1180,"position":5},"title":"Securing a Technical Co-Founder: Facts, Myths & Tips","author":"Philip Wattis","date":"17 June 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"It seems everywhere I turn lately I meet enthusiastic individuals who are looking for a Technical Co-Founder to turn their idea into a reality, and experience implies they are in very short supply. If you find yourself in this position, I've set out some of the facts and myths, alongside\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Cofounders"","block_context":{"text":"Cofounders","link":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/category\/cofounders\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Image taken by flickr.com\/photos\/deltamike","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/super_duper_programmer.jpg?fit=600%2C288&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/super_duper_programmer.jpg?fit=600%2C288&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/super_duper_programmer.jpg?fit=600%2C288&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1180","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1180"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1180\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1292,"href":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1180\/revisions\/1292"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1194"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1180"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1180"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.flinca.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1180"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}