Lots of people have app ideas.
Newsflash: Your idea is worthless. Execution is everything.
If you can’t make your idea happen, you can’t expect to capture any value from your idea.
If you want to capture value, you have two options:
- Learn to code
Learning to code is like learning a foreign language (with some emphasis on math). Its hard, but not impossible. Code Academy is a great place to start. It takes talent and many years of practice to be an excellent coder, so don’t expect to be able to solve all your problems yourself.
But at least you can learn how to create a demo app.
The best book to read on the life of a coder is Hackers and Painters by Paul Graham.
- Find a coder
If you can’t code then you need to hire a coder. Bank on at least R100,000 for your pilot app. Newsflash: promising equity doesn’t work.
No cash = no code.
Once you have the cash you need to find a competent coder you can trust. Start with your social and professional network. Chat to university lecturers. Ask around.
Word-of-mouth is the best way to find a star coder, failing which you can use a small software development house.
Option 1 will take longer and entail blood, sweat and tears, and your app will probably fail. But you will have learnt how to code and learnt hard lessons for making apps.
Option 2 will result in you spending lots of money, and your app will probably fail. But you will have founder a coder and learnt hard lessons for making apps.
If you want to be an entrepreneur, you must turn your ideas in reality. No one else will do it for you.
You must pay the price. Sweat or cash.
Or keep dreaming.