It seems like it’s impossible to start a successful tech startup if you’re not technical. Yet, Apple, Airbnb, Alibaba, Pinterest and Snap are all examples of successful tech startups founded by someone that was not technical.
I also was a non-technical founder that founded a tech company. Even though I have a BSEE and a few patents, I’d been on the business side of a technology company, for years. I knew I wasn’t going to be the technical heart and soul of the company I was building.
So the challenges I had were similar to the unique challenges a completely non-technical CEO would have. I feel there are three unique challenges that all non-technical CEOs face:
A. You need to hire a great VP Engineering.
“Who’s your VP of Engineering going to be?” That was the question Jack, a VC who was preparing to give us a term sheet, asked me.
The original founding VP Engineering of my company, “John”, quit almost a year before. I was running engineering on an interim basis, so I told Jack the truth. “I’m running engineering for now until we find a replacement.”
“That’s what I thought you would tell me,” Jack said. “However, there’s too much risk for me to invest until you find a full time VP…
