Where To Find Ambitious Business Partners?

LostInTranslation asks: "If I were an MBA looking to make a fantastic new dotcom company, I would look around places like /. to try and net some technical wizards to do my bidding. Sites like this collect that kind of tech genius. But the problem is that I already am a technical wizard, and what I need is someone who is driven to sell wizardry. Where does one find that kind of person? Is there some kind of newsgroup they frequent? I've done a few searches, but nothing of value came up. How does a geek find a suit that wants to be exploited?" "I should clarify: I've run at least two quasi-successful companies in the past ten years, bootstrapping and innovating along. I don't want to run my own business anymore. It's tiring, it takes me away from the front lines, and I don't have the right personality for it. I am looking for a business partner who can turn my good ideas into success stories. I've got angel investors waiting for something to spend on, I've got a massive number of satellite resources to make any idea shine, but I'm missing someone with that je ne sais quoi ... that chutzpah, that integrity in the face of adversity. And I'm not gambling anyone's money on my ideas when I'm fully aware I don't want to run the show.

Someone out there in Slash-land must know where these people collect. They all seem too buzzword-aware to not be on the web somewhere. So give it up: where are they hiding?"

Comments

Talk About it

[MyLongNickName]

Talk about your ideas. Talk about them with your friends. Talk about them with business associates. Takj about them with strangers. These people find you, not the other way around.

The more you talk, the more likely someone will be willing to listen. If it is something you are passionate about, it will strike a chord with someone else. And, if no one picks up on your idea, you have to face one of two possiblities: You have a good idea, and no one realized it. Or you have a crappy idea, and it should just die.

Either way, you have to get people excited to get them to invest their talents and money.

Good Luck!

If it weren't for gravity, I could fly.

[Grabble]

So lemme get this straight...

You're excited about what's possible if you could find the right people? ... and they'd work for you?

...and you're frustrated you can't find available visionaries?

You are describing nothing special, unique or unusual. You have money, experience and ideas... and you want very talented people to help you execute those ideas.

Join. The. Crowd.

And since you know that ideas are fucking worthless, here's some links to help you execute, IE, find some talent....

Search google for headhunters

Guru

Elance

Idea: Purchase ads in various publications likely to be read by people you want.

Good luck. I hope you can find who you're looking for. (and by that I mean, "It's hard to find good help."

Mommy, where do MBAs come from?

[CyberVenom]

Not that I would know, being but a lowly techwizard myself, but perhaps you should go to the source? Universities are still popping out MBAs like it's going out of style. Find a reputable university and ask their job placement department or business professors about fresh MBAs to exploit.
Or if you prefer slightly aged MBA, perhaps your local headhunter (the one who was always trying to sell you extra ALGOL programmers and VAX technicians) knows of an MBA who has recently dropped off the corporate radar due to cutbacks or outsourcing. Obviously said executive would be in no position to hire normal headhunter fare without a company, but would likely welcome with open arms the full hit-it-big package complete with techwizardry, angel investors and solid gold ideas.
-CyberVenom

I know exactly where you're coming from...

[tm2b]

I handed over CEOship of my startup to a sales guy in 1998, and Red Hat bought the company in 2000. So I definitely understand your position.

Your best bet is to connect with local business development groups (in Pittsburgh, it was the Pittsburgh Technology Council) and groups like SCORE. Look particularly at networking opportunities like lunches, and be up front about what you're looking for and cautious about committing to any one person. You'll eventually meet people who will be pretty good fits. You'll want to find not an MBA, but somebody with substantial experience who might or might not have an MBA but whose skills are strong exactly where yours are weak. Also, do not discount the candidate's networking skills - a CEO who is in tight with local VCs can make lots of business opportunities appear even if you don't want VC. But don't neglect to check references, they'll tell you a lot about what you can expect in the future.

I could go on about the cultural conflicts with your new CEO that you'll encounter once you've started down that road, but those could fill a book or three and might get me sued.

Managing to get this posted here is a start ;)

[Malfourmed]

Some MBAs do read slashdot you know...

(Though in my case I'd almost certainly be in the wrong country.)