Using an adviser for partnerships

I think one of the hardest challenges a startup experiences is the ticking of two clocks once you decide to give it a go. The first clock ticks to the sound of "when do we see ROI". The second clock is the go to market clock that ticks to the sound of someone else going live with your idea. Both clocks have a potential to ding at different times and there may be times when either clock may speed up or slow down based on the marketplace. Don’t worry, no pressure…Right?

One of the factors that can affect both of these clocks is the ability to staff and scale your staff with the right folks. While outsourcing has absolutely become a great way to develop software and mature process while staying within budget, it is becoming clearer that using an adviser to find the right talent, securing intellectual property, and proper communication is essential to startup success and sustainability.

Companies that try and source their own outsource provider often experience challenges almost immediately with technologists that either don’t have the right skills or the right infrastructure in place

I started to write down a few of the tips that I often give people when they reach out to me for advice. Here are a few tips that will help you find the right folks to join your team. If you would like to hear the rest over a phone call I can be reached Here.

1. Advisers are always looking for partners

There are many, many processes that can be chucked to an outsourcer and if they have experience as a vendor with that process they can be successful. For most technology, data, and research processes this is not the case. Advisers always act as ambassadors and are looking for long term relationships versus one off client/vendor projects. Advisers put their own background and credentials in play when they recommend others. Advisers want to build a community of resources that they can continue to leverage in the future.

2. Advisors eliminate the risks involved

Whether it is onshore, nearshore, or offshore, communication and the ability to communicate with outsourced folks is crucial to meeting deliverable's and staying on the road-map. You also need to be concerned about the security and the code being written for your awesome business idea. To reiterate the first tip, if I have a trusted partner and a trusted adviser helping to drive a long term partnership with an outsource provider that I can trust with my development strategy, software methodology, and my secret sauce, I can focus on other parts of my great idea. I just mitigated quite a few of my risks.

3. Advisers can connect you to qualified partners

An adviser wants you to be successful! An adviser will only connect you to solid tech teams with solid backgrounds and solid references. The amount of research time you will save on your clock plus you will not have to go through the uneasy feeling of trial and error until you find the right team. Once you have used an adviser for this purpose it is very hard to go back.

An adviser can help you find companies in your time zone if that is a priority to you. If you have a shorter timeline or a different need, an adviser will know a firm that is excellent at taking advantage of time differences in other time zones and can leverage a 24 hour software development life cycle. An adviser will also suggest and assist with the various development methodologies that can be employed during an engagement.

As the technology sector continues to grow in 2015, the use of outsourced talent is becoming a requirement to succeed. An adviser can help you find the most effective talent, advise you on technology needs and partner with you for your long-term success.

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If you’d like to partner I can be reached at neal.conlon@shoregrp.com