Finding a partner or outsource a core competency of a start-up?

[putinwork]

Hey everyone,

I'm in a situation where I'm looking at developing a website app within a niche and have about 60% of my research and feature list/mindmap complete. From my experience within this niche, I KNOW it can be a success.

I have 3 routes to take with this type of project:
1) Find a partner to help me develop this app since I am not knowledgeable in this field
2) Outsource the work to a DevShop to get it done I want to avoid elance/odesk etc as this project is of decent size and hiring through the web for this overseas just increases the risk of failure or a poorly done job) Do it right the first time or don't do it, right? It'll cost about 3-4x more hiring locally rather than overseas.
3) Learn how to code myself, which will take at least 1+years and that's just getting the basics down.

The problem with Option #1 is finding a partner that I can trust that has the knowledge of developing this app is quite slim. My network of friends/acquaintances aren't specialists in this sector so finding someone to accept this job and be a partner in this is quite hard. I don't want to just be forced to pick anyone from the streets or craigslist

Option #2 has it's own downfalls as well. Speaking with a few coders, they have all suggested that I hire in-house which means hire someone full-time, or risk having your core competencies outsources which is a formula for a very high risk of failure. An app will always need updates and maintenance being done, so this would be the downfall of this option. The upside is that once built, the I can truly test the concept if it's a hit or not and if it is, quickly hire a CTO or find a partner when traction is gained. However, at the same time, fully relying on the DevShop to not screw up and keep things online.

Option #3 is time. Not saying I'm not patient and not willing to learn, but being brutally honest I don't have any experience coding and to become an expert in it will be a very long road ahead. I've already bought some books and reading online for tutorials as I would want to understand the basics and fundamentals but to become an expert in coding in a year is not realistic.

I've read some very popular threads about the matter, but I am still stuck on which direction to take. The project scope would take a few months to accomplish, so it's not just chump change we're talking about.

My other option that I thought of while typing this is to pitch it to an investor or investment firm and utilize their technical resources on helping accomplish this goal.

I do want to repeat, that I am not trying to take the easy way out by outsourcing the work but having no experience in an industry such as web development coding is NOT something someone can easily do over a short span of a year or 2.

I would welcome any advice or critiquing of my approach to this problem.

Thanks everyone!

Edit: I am sure there are many success stories of this being done, excellent example is Myclean.com, but even then they had their own troubles with the outsourcing process.

 

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[stranger]

Qn ni, og zua xepv. O lpux e huuf qsugittoupem qsuhsennis o'wi xuslif xovj voni vu voni.

 

[putinwork]

QN'if zua tvsephis.

O'n dassipvmz miepoph vuxesft hivvoph e FiwTjuq vu fu ov, cav ug duasti O'n wisz uqip vu jiesoph uvjis nincis't uqopoupt.

 

[dknise]

Tvuq Muuloph Gus E Vidjpodem Du-guapfis | VidjDsapdj

Tviq op mopi gus vjev vidjpodem du-guapfis xju't muuloph vu fiwimuq tuniupi imti't ofie!

 

[putinwork]

O'n dassipvmz tvomm miespoph dufoph up vji xic, cav O vjopl O nez emtu veli e duasti ev nz mudem dummihi vu hiv tuni jepft up iyqisoipdi epf jewi e qsugittus vu haofi ni vjsuahj vidjpodem raitvoupt vjev O nez jewi fuxp vji suef.

Egvis e gix fezt ug vjoploph, O vjopl O xomm ci fuoph e noyif eqqsuedj ug Uqvoup #2 & #3. Hivvoph e Fiwtjuq vu fu vji xusl, xjomi O miesp dufoph upmopi epf op e dmettsuun tivvoph.

Nz sietupoph? Vjisi ot pu xez vjev O xuamf ci ecmi vu dunqmivimz dufi vji ipvosi qsukidv nztimg, xovjop e sietupecmi vonimopi (iwip 2-3 ziest) xuamf tiin moli ep ivispovz. O fup'v piif vu lpux jux vu dufi vji ipvosi tovi et O xomm nutv molimz piwis jewi vu fu disveop qesvt eheop. Juxiwis, O fu vjopl ov ot dsadoem vu miesp jux vu neopveop epf onqsuwi vji tovi et O tdemi ov huoph gusxesf.

O emtu miespif vjev tqidogod fiwtjuqt dep uggis neopvipepdi qedlehit emuph vji xez tu vjiz dep muul egvis tuni ug vji vidjpodem esiet xjomi O'n tvomm op miespoph qjeti. Vjot xuamf emmux ni vu hsetq vji dupdiqvt ietois op vji siem xusmf tovaevoupt et ximm et etl raitvoupt epf miesp jux vu veli vji siopt ug vji tovi updi O en siefz.

O en wisz uqip vu tahhitvoupt epf efwodi sihesfoph vjot vuqod, tu giim gsii vu iyqsitt zuas vjuahjvt.

 

[ManWithABeard]

Egvis e gix fezt ug vjoploph, O vjopl O xomm ci fuoph e noyif eqqsuedj ug Uqvoup #2 & #3. Hivvoph e Fiwtjuq vu fu vji xusl, xjomi O miesp dufoph upmopi epf op e dmettsuun tivvoph.

Vjev't xjev O'n fuoph, O gohasi O miesp dufoph xjomi xusloph up hivvoph nz ofie iyidavoup vu e Fiwtjuq xjomi miespoph vu dufi, katv tu O lpux xjev vu etl gus epf jux vu etl, optvief ug finepfoph vjopht up tunivjoph O lpux puvjoph ecuav.


Tusv ug fof vjev xovj hseqjod fitohp gsun nz metv catopitt, fofp'v lpux tj*v ecuav fitohp, fof puvjoph cav vavusoemt, pux qiuqmi tvomm uggis vu qez movvmi 'um ni vu fitohp gus vjin iwisz pux epf vjip :F. Xi'si Getvmepist nz nep, xi'mm gopf e xez vu neli vjopht jeqqip! Huuf madl.

 

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