A Step-by-step Guide to Build Digital Products for Start-ups

A Step-by-step Guide to Build Digital Products for Start-ups

Jeevanjot Kaur
February 17, 2021
Digital Products

We all look up to some of the great leaders of this era. Brian Chesky, Founder of Airbnb; Sean Rad, Founder & Chairman of Tinder; Evan Sharp, Founder of Pinterest have one thing in common. They all have built amazing digital products, without having any strong tech backgrounds. It proves that there is no major roadblock that can stop you from turning your idea to reality. 

How to Build Robust & Scalable Digital Products

Building a startup requires an amalgamation of technical, leadership, and marketing skills. If you have a brilliant idea but holding yourself back because you are not a tech person, then there is good news for you! You can still ace the startup game even if you never wrote a single line of code.

Get to the Basics

Forget the coding skills; you are not competing with a professional developer. You should grasp the basics, like know about the technology on which your business operates. What crucial components go into building a platform? This information will help you communicate with the technical team in a better way.

Find a CTO

Not even half of the most successful startups are by tech people. Chief Technology Officer or CTO can help you in more than one way. It is not possible to run a company and develop a product without any help. Get the help you need, a CTO has both technical and business knowledge. Product development is not all about coding; it takes into account finance, management, sales, leadership, etc. A CTO will help you along the process. He will help you translate your requirements to the development team.

Explore Opportunities

It is essential to explore opportunities and target the right market to make up for the lack of technical skills. Also, be ready to hustle. You can read articles about other non-tech entrepreneurs to know about the do’s and don’t when you don’t have much technical knowledge. Pen down all the ideas that come to your mind.  Keep a business idea journal, it will help you immensely in keeping the project alive. You can also create a dedicated online community by writing a blog.

Network Diligently

Non-tech founders are not busy coding the product; they can leverage this time to connect to the right people and build a network. Don’t waste any networking opportunity that comes your way. The strength of your network is an indicator of your own strengths. Ask for honest feedback and work on them.

Look At Your Own Strengths

You can channel your energy in building non-technical aspects of your business. Be clear about your target audience and start finding customers for your business. You should communicate all your requirements to the technical team in a clear manner. The features that you want in your product are the backbone of your business. Don’t interfere too much in the working of the tech team but take updates from them from time to time to ensure that your product is on the right track.

In-House Partnership

You can have an internal partner who can build software products. The internal partner slowly builds the whole development team. In this setting, you start small, you and your software developer partner keep the work in-house as much as you can.

External Partners

You can also outsource the entire team if you want to be free from complexities related to team recruitment and retention. It will speed up the process and you can release the first version faster. It’s essential to opt for an experienced team.

Alternately, you can opt for a mixed partnership, in which the external team works with your in-house team. In this approach, you hire specialists for the particular task. With partnerships, you can have a stronger start.

Manage Finances

For startups, funds are a major issue. It is important to look into the financial aspect of your project. Don’t wander away too far from your budget. Having a one-year road map and ensuring that milestones are met on time help you stay within the budget.

Final Words

There is a long list of tech products created by non-tech founders that are doing so well. You don’t need technical knowledge to make your mark in the tech startup world. Innovation, passion, and knowing how to make things easy is all you need. Knowledge grows with experience.

Jeevanjot Kaur

Jeevanjot firmly believes in the power of putting together words and the impact it creates on a reader’s mind. She loves writing about technology and trends that shape the industry. In her free time, you will find her admiring nature and its creator.

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