Stop Looking for "A Developer"—You Need a Technical Partner

Two weeks ago, a fintech founder reached out after spending four months searching for a technical co-founder on LinkedIn. She'd had 30 coffee chats. Nobody committed.

"Everyone wants to keep their day job," she said. "And I can't tell if they're actually good or just good at talking."

I see this every month. Non-technical founders think they need to "find a developer." So they post on co-founder matching sites, message people on LinkedIn, and go to startup events. Three months later, they're exactly where they started—alone and frustrated.

Here's the thing: you're not looking for the right person. You're looking for the wrong role.

The Mistake: Thinking You Need "A Developer"

When founders tell me they're looking for a developer, I ask: "What do you actually need them to do?"

The answer is usually: "Build the app."

That's the problem. You don't need someone to execute your plan. You need someone to help you figure out what the plan should be.

Developers Build. Partners Decide.

A hired developer asks: "What features do you want?" Then they wait for your answer. And if you're non-technical, your answer might be wrong.

A technical partner asks: "What problem are we solving? What's the simplest way to test if this works? Should we even build this, or is there a faster approach?"

That difference is everything.

Here's what I tell founders: If you hire someone who just executes, you're still making all the hard decisions alone. You're just paying someone to type. That's not a technical partner—that's an expensive keyboard.

Your Three Options (And When to Pick Each)

When I work with founders, we usually explore three paths:

Option 1: Technical Co-Founder (50/50 Equity Partner)

What it looks like: Someone joins as a founder, gets 30-50% equity, commits full-time.

When it works: You have no funding, you're building something big, and you find someone who's all-in.

The reality: This is the hardest option. Great technical people who are willing to quit their job and take founder risk are rare. And even when you find them, you're gambling on a long-term partnership with someone you barely know.

Option 2: Fractional CTO (What I Do for Clients)

What it looks like: An experienced technical leader works part-time (15-25 hours/week) for cash + small equity.

When it works: You have some funding (or can pay cash), you need strategic guidance, and you want to de-risk before committing to a co-founder.

What I do for clients:

Make all the technology decisions (stack, hosting, third-party tools)
Design the MVP architecture so it's buildable
Hire and manage developers if you need a team
Build parts of the MVP myself when it makes sense

This is my sweet spot. You get senior technical leadership without giving away half your company or waiting months to find the perfect co-founder.

Option 3: Hired Developer (Cash Only, No Equity)

When it works: You already have technical oversight (like a fractional CTO), you know exactly what to build, and you just need hands on keyboards.

When it doesn't: You hire a developer, hand them wireframes, and hope for the best. Three months later you have code that works but doesn't solve the problem.

Not Sure Which Option Is Right for You?

I help non-technical founders figure out the right technical strategy for their stage and budget. Let's talk about your situation—I'll tell you honestly what makes sense.

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How to Evaluate Technical People When You Can't Code

Here's the secret: you're not evaluating their coding skills. You're evaluating their judgment.

Green Flags I Look For

They ask about the problem before proposing solutions. "Who are your users? What's the core problem?" means they think strategically.
They explain tech decisions in business terms. "We should use Stripe because it's fastest to integrate" (not "Stripe has better API docs").
They push back respectfully. "Have you considered X instead?" is healthier than "Whatever you want."
They've built something before. Side projects, startups, or open source work shows initiative.

Red Flags That Make Me Walk Away

Red Flag #1: "This will take 18 months." If every estimate is massive, they don't understand MVPs. Good technical people find shortcuts.

Red Flag #2: Technology obsession. "We need to use the latest framework" signals someone more interested in tech trends than business outcomes.

Red Flag #3: Can't explain things simply. If they can't explain a decision in plain English, they either don't understand it or don't respect your need to understand.

Red Flag #4: "I just code, you handle the rest." You need a partner who's involved in product decisions and talks to users, not someone who hides behind Jira tickets.

Real example: A founder came to me after hiring a "senior developer" who insisted on building a custom authentication system instead of using Auth0. Two months and $20K later, the auth still didn't work. I switched them to Auth0 in a week. The developer was skilled—but had terrible judgment for an early-stage startup.

Here's What I Do Differently

When founders work with me as a fractional CTO, here's the typical process:

Week 1-2: Strategy & Validation
We don't start coding. We validate the idea with real users first. I help you figure out what's actually worth building.

Week 3-4: Design & Architecture
We design the MVP together. I make all the tech stack decisions. I create a technical roadmap that's realistic, not wishful thinking.

Week 5-12: Build
I either build it myself (for simple MVPs) or hire and manage developers (for bigger projects). You're involved in product decisions, not debugging CSS.

Week 12+: Launch & Iterate
We ship, get users, and iterate based on real feedback. I help you figure out what to build next.

The difference? You're not searching for the perfect co-founder for months. You're shipping in weeks.

Ready to Stop Searching and Start Building?

I work with Australian startups from pre-seed to Series A. If you're tired of looking for technical co-founders on LinkedIn, let's talk about working together.

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The Equity Question Everyone Asks

Founders always ask: "Should I give equity to a fractional CTO?"

Here's my standard structure:

Cash + Small Equity: $10K-15K/month + 2-5% equity with 4-year vesting. This gives me skin in the game without you giving away half your company to someone working part-time.

Why this works: I'm invested in your success (equity aligns us), but you're not locked into a 50/50 partnership with someone you met three weeks ago.

What happens later: If you raise funding and need a full-time CTO, I help you hire them. If you want to transition me to full-time, we adjust the equity and terms. It's flexible.

Real numbers: I worked with a SaaS founder who spent 6 months searching for a technical co-founder. Nobody committed. We worked together as fractional CTO for 4 months, shipped the MVP, got 200 paying users, and raised $500K. She then hired a full-time CTO. Total cost: $50K + 3% equity. Way better than giving away 40% to someone who might quit after 3 months.

What to Do Next Week

Stop posting on co-founder matching sites. Here's what actually works:

If you want a technical co-founder:

Make a list of technical people you already know (or are one degree away)
Reach out with curiosity, not a pitch: "I'm exploring a startup idea and looking for technical perspectives. Coffee?"
Listen more than you pitch. Great partnerships start with mutual respect.
Have the equity conversation early (50/50 split, 4-year vesting with 1-year cliff)

If you want to move faster (fractional CTO route):

Find someone with startup experience, not just big-tech credentials
Ask: "How would you build an MVP for this in 6-8 weeks?" (tests their ability to scope ruthlessly)
Agree on cash + equity structure upfront
Start with strategy and validation, not coding

The biggest mistake? Waiting for the perfect co-founder while your competitors ship.

Let's Figure Out Your Technical Strategy

I'm a fractional CTO working with Australian startups. I help non-technical founders build MVPs, make smart technology decisions, and avoid expensive mistakes. If you're stuck searching for technical help, let's talk.

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