How Non-Technical Founders Build Startups With Sramana Mitra

Case Studies of Non-Technical Founders Building Tech Startups with Innovation and Business Model Nuances

What you'll learn

Through in-depth interviews with successful non-tech founders, gain insights on how to build a tech company without a tech background.

From conversations with entrepreneurs ranging from English majors to Political Science majors who clearly did not have any technical education, learn how to ove

How to follow bootstrapping methodology as a non-technical founder.

When to bring on a team as a non-technical founder.

How non-technical founders scale their startups into multi million-dollar revenue success stories.

What the exit options are for non-technical founders.

Requirements

The only requirement for this course is an open mind and a willingness to learn.

Description

The 1Mby1M Methodology is based on case studies. In this course, Sramana Mitra shares the tribal knowledge of tech entrepreneurs by giving students the rare seat at the table with the entrepreneurs, investors and thought leaders who provide the most instructive perspectives on how to build a thriving business. Through these conversations, students gain access to case studies exploring the alleys of entrepreneurship. Sramana’s synthesis of key learnings and incisive analysis add great depth to each discussion.Ever since the 2008 financial crisis, intellectuals have had to ask themselves, ‘Does Capitalism Still Work?’ I have explored this question for several years now, beginning with a seminal column I wrote for Forbes: Capitalism’s Fundamental Flaw. Two particular problems stand out.First, Capitalism has been hijacked by speculators. Second, the system enables amassing wealth at the tip of the pyramid, leaving most of society high and dry. Both problems have resulted in a highly unstable, volatile world order that jitters and shocks markets periodically, leaving financial carnage and mass scale human suffering.So what is the solution? Can the ideals of democracy and capitalism be combined to establish a more robust, stable system?I believe so. Here’s how.We need to use the fundamental principle of capitalism — the creation of value that people are willing to pay for — and apply it to the middle of the pyramid on a global scale. In other words, we need large numbers of entrepreneurs who are willing and able to build products and offer services that address demand from certain specific segments of customers. We need to teach them how to build businesses that can become sustainable — profitable — and create jobs. We need to also teach them to grow by applying the same kinds of methodology and discipline that, traditionally, a venture-funded company may use.This means, we have to empower both technical and non-technical founders to build technology and technology-enabled services startups.CAN you build a startup as a non-technical founder? Yes, you can. Non-technical entrepreneurs are not that rare. And if you have a great idea for a company and not the technical skills, there’s no reason you can’t find someone else to help you with that part.Why do you think Uber is so successful?No, it is not because of technology.It is successful because it has used technology to leverage the needs of millions of working class people without jobs to create a new livelihood.Uber doesn’t offer job security. It doesn’t offer health insurance. But it offers an opportunity for millions of people to make some money. May not be grand incomes, but some income is better than no income for most of these people who need, desperately, a means of sustenance.Now parlay that into your entrepreneurial thinking and figure out what else can generate incomes for large numbers of blue-collar people. What other services can be thus delivered with the help of technology?This is just an example to stir up your ideation process.If you have a fantastic concept but no technical background, you would need to collaborate with technology experts in order to start a business. In order to succeed, either the startup co-founders must have competence in both fields, or you need to outsource your technical product development (at least for a while, in the beginning).For example, if you want to build an AI startup, you need a technical co-founder to build the AI model and for your startup to be credible with investors. However, if you bring domain knowledge in an esoteric field (say, ship chartering), that is considered extremely valuable.If you want to build an Online Education or Digital Health startup, all of these, btw, are very hot startup areas … the same. Someone needs to build a piece of technology. Equally, though, someone needs to bring in the domain knowledge.In e-commerce, we see a lot of non-technical founders. The tech portion is often outsourced.Equally important aspects of starting and growing a technical business are sales, marketing, logistics, and finance. Non-technical startup founders should focus on those aspects.So, for inspiration and methodology, delve into this case study-based course. See which one resonates.Here you have it. Non-technical entrepreneurs are not that uncommon. We’ve seen many, many, many success stories.There’s no reason you can’t get some skilled developers to assist you with your startup if you have a great concept, but no technical skills. If you study this course carefully, you should have an edge when it comes to getting your new venture off the ground. Let's get started!The 1Mby1M courses are all heavily based on interview-based case studies on Innovation, Business Models, Go To Market Strategies, Validation Principles, and various other nuances of an entrepreneur's journey. We offer extensive opportunities for entrepreneurs to learn the lessons from the trenches from successful entrepreneurs who have done it before and Investors who support their ambition.

Overview

Section 1: How Non-Technical Founders Build Tech Startups

Lecture 1 Introduction

Lecture 2 How Non-Technical Founders Have Built Technology Startups

Section 2: English Majors

Lecture 3 Scaling SaaS Venture to Exit: Velocify Founder Jeff Solomon

Lecture 4 English Major and Pica9 Founder Kevin Groom Bootstraps a Tech Company

Lecture 5 Delphix CEO Jedidiah Yueh on Building Fat Startups

Lecture 6 Kirstin Quinlan Bootstrapped an Evergreen Business From Oregon

Lecture 7 Limeade CEO Henry Albrecht’s Long Journey To Realize a Vision

Lecture 8 InRule Technology CEO Rik Chomko on Bootstrapping Using Services

Section 3: Economics Majors

Lecture 9 Taking a Digital Health Company Public with Tarek Sherif, Medidata

Lecture 10 Medidata CEO Tarek Sherif Takes a Capital Efficient Company Public and Beyond

Lecture 11 ShareBuilder 401k CEO Stuart Robertson on Buying Back a Business

Lecture 12 Kiyan Foroughi on Building a Fashion Accessories Marketplace

Section 4: Business Majors

Lecture 13 Bootstrapping a RegTech Venture to $20M

Lecture 14 Bootstrap First to Exit, Bootstrap Again, Then Raise VC Money

Lecture 15 JAM CEO Kristi Herold on Surviving Covid with a Bootstrapped Venture

Lecture 16 Rollercoaster on a Bike: Zagster CEO Tim Ericson

Lecture 17 Narrative Science CEO Stuart Frankel Building a Cool Technology Company

Lecture 18 SmartBuyGlasses CEO David Menning on Bootstrapping a Global E-Commerce Company

Lecture 19 Jory Lamb, CEO of VistaVu Solutions, Bootstrapped to $10 Million from Canada

Section 5: Science Majors

Lecture 20 Ryan Chan Bootstrapped With A Paycheck to YCombinator and $10M Series A

Lecture 21 Q Link Wireless CEO Issa Asad Earns $200M Catering to the Bottom of the Pyramid

Lecture 22 CEO Katie Echeverry Bootstrapped Unique Vintage With A Paycheck

Section 6: Art and Liberal Arts Majors

Lecture 23 Auctionata CEO Alexander Zacke Brings Art Auctions Online from Berlin

Lecture 24 Vacasa Co-Founder Cliff Johnson on Bootstrapping to $100 Million

Lecture 25 Evariant Co-founder Bill Moschella on Bootstrapping Using Services

Section 7: History and Political Science Majors

Lecture 26 Non-Technical Founder Builds Startup to over $10M: Socialive CEO David Moricca

Lecture 27 Firmex CEO Joel Lessem on Scaling with Angel Money Only in Canada

Lecture 28 Criteria CEO Josh Millet Bootstrapped First, Raised Money Later

Section 8: Philosophy Majors

Lecture 29 InsideSales CEO Dave Elkington Bootstrapped a Unicorn with Services from Utah

Section 9: More Case Studies of Tech Startups Built By Non-Technical Founders

Lecture 30 More Case Studies

Section 10: Additional Content

Lecture 31 Bonus Lecture

Ambitious entrepreneurs who want to pursue ideas for which they have both passion and expertise.,Business, Economics, Liberal Arts, and any other non-tech professionals who want to parlay their expertise into multi-million dollar revenue tech businesses by becoming startup founders rather than remain employees.,Aspiring founders who want to increase their chances of getting accepted into a top startup accelerator such as Y Combinator, Techstars, and 500 Startups,Any entrepreneur who wants to learn from successful entrepreneurs who have done it before and from investors who have supported them.,Professors teaching technology entrepreneurship courses anywhere in the world.