Startup Founders: Get Technical or Get Left Behind

There are non-technical founders who believe they can delegate all technical aspects of their business to others. However, this is a misguided approach that can be detrimental to your company’s success. You owe it to yourself, your partners, your customers, your employees, and your investors to level up and become at least basic level technical.

To quote Arianna Huffington, co-founder of The Huffington Post: “Technical skills are a must for any entrepreneur today. It’s not enough to be a visionary and have business acumen, you need to be able to speak the language of technology and understand how it can help drive your business forward.”

I am not suggesting that you become an engineer overnight, but you should be able to speak to everything happening across your organization. You should have a seat at any table of your organization and be able to understand and provide input on technical decisions. This will give you insight into what is happening across the company, and allow you to make informed decisions that can positively impact your business.

Being non-technical can only harm you and your company. You could miss out on opportunities, misinterpret data, and even make costly mistakes if you don’t understand the technical aspects of your business. Therefore, it’s imperative that you level up and have at least a basic understanding of your startup’s technology. Good luck on your journey to becoming a more technical founder!