Expanding development team for a startup

I'm a software developer and co-founder of a start up that's in a sprint to launch a web app the next 2 months. We have about 3 months of burn time we have before we need to get some funding. By that time, we want to have a product with active users, and ideally some revenue. I'm fairly confident that I can accomplish the task by myself, but I have also never launched a project of this magnitude. The better product we can build in this timespan, the faster we can grow our user base, and the better our fundraising options will be. So I'm looking to bring someone onboard to hack with me. Maybe more than one person.

Good help is hard to find, as we all know, and while I'm willing to share equity, I also want that to be contingent on a productive fit. What is the best approach to a trial-type framework for hiring another developer? Something where the other person feels that their work will be rewarded if they do well and that they can't be left empty-handed at my whim, but where I know that if it turns out not to be a good fit, I can pull the cord without significant loss?

Edit I've alluded to it in other comments, but my situation is that I don't anticipate a critical need more development help, but it would definitely be advantageous, and I've found people who are interested, in principle. We haven't talked short-term or long-term yet, let alone compensation. I'm just trying to make sure I know enough to do a proper deal, if the fit is right on both sides. For argument's sake, let's assume fit is right and I've got a person that wants to be on board for this 3 month period, and then from there it would be a new deal if both parties are want to make a new arrangement. So I'm not so much asking how to attract talent or how to prioritize--I'm interested in the mechanics of such a deal.

Let me offer my feedback after having been on both sides of similar exchanges.

As a Developer I'm sorry, your idea probably sucks. Looking at statistics, the vast majority of start-ups fail, and yours is likely to as well. If I'm going to join, it's going to take a lot more than some equity to donate a large portion of my time.

It really takes a valuation of the opportunity to make an educated decision. If I typically take 100k as software developer, and I'm willing to only take 30k, then that means my investment is 70k (or per year). Now, if I'm investing 70k, and only being offered 5% equity, that means that your opportunity is valuated at 1.4M.

It took a while to develop this attitude... however, you're more likely to find people who are willing to free and who don't really value (or know the value of) their time.

I look for:

• Interesting product
• Interesting problems to solve
• High growth opportunity
• PEOPLE I WANT TO WORK WITH

I avoid:

• People with no money
• People I don't beleive in
• People who don't value my time
• People who think they can find another developer easily

For fun, let's rephase your pitch: "Come work for me on this cool idea. I can't pay you, and I can't give you equity, but if you prove your worth for 6 weeks, we can talk about it then." I'd run away.

As a Business Owner / Start-up Money is tight. The company is the best opportunity ever. Therefore, people should work for free, right?

Even if you could rope people in that way, the relationships almost always turn sour, and you are diluting your equity. Try and find an arrangement where both parties win. Don't give away equity lightly. Offer vested equity (x% per year until it hits the max). People come and go - you don't want 40% of your company owned by the guy who had the most free time, but moved away a year later.

So you want to attract developers?

• Fair pay
• Fair equity options
• Interesting domain / technology
• Some say in the technology moving forward

--

Try and work out some sort of trial arrangement. If your opportunity is truly amazing, then you could have them buy their way in with their time with no obligations. However, that sucks for the developer, so you'll likely want to pay them so there are no strings attached.

The hardest part of succeeding as a start-up is finding the right people. Don't create bad relationships by cheaping out. Spend a bit of money to earn their trust and to protect your assets. From then, arrange some sort of mutually beneficial agreement. If you can't afford contracts, do your best to get your terms on paper and signed. As things progress, legalize them.

Here's what I have in mind, because I want to see how it stacks up against other ideas. I'm thinking something like a short-term vesting scheme.

• We agree upon equity share at the end-point of the project.
• For a short-term period at the beginning (maybe two weeks), there is no equity, accounting for the time it takes to ramp up and the trial period.
• Then a fixed scale of equity per week until a mezzanine point.
• The remainder of equity is given as a large grant, upon public launch or significant fundraising event.

Short Answer: Your offer should be very attractive to catch interest.

Good and professional developer of a high quality is hard to find. Thus, most probably you need to clarify what you promise to give back on successful roll-out.

To keep your product and idea safe, you may for sure, get from him signed agreement of non-disclosure even he would decide to leave in couple weeks.

In addition to above there are very interesting posts to look:

• How to attract top talent to your start-up
• How To Find A Programmer To Build Your Startup Idea
• How to Attract Software Developers That Fit Your Company
• Tips to Attract, Keep and Motivate Your Employees

Quick Answer: Try to explore option on part-time help.

Having a tentative agreement that has dependency on short-term success of the project may not attract good developers. Thus, making a deal with experienced person who will put his effort after regular business hours or in weekends is what sounds reasonable.

It would be better to get a local developer as it be easy for management and communication. Where you may get this people? is a different question. A good option to start would be local user group of software professionals.