Building Products Right: Essential Advice for Early-Stage Founders by Chad Perry 🚀
Building a tech product as a non-technical founder can feel like a daunting challenge. Should you hire a developer? Outsource? What about mockups, tech stacks, and budgets? 😰
In this episode of Feel the Boot, I sit down with fractional CTO Chad Perry, who’s worked with countless early-stage startups to navigate these exact challenges. Chad shares insider advice on:
✅ Why you should start with mockups (not developers).
✅ How to successfully outsource your tech development.
✅ When to hire a CTO, developer, or team—and how to decide.
✅ Tips for managing tech projects as a non-technical founder.
✅ Why focusing on your minimum viable product (MVP) is key.
This episode is a must-watch for any founder building a tech product, especially if you’re overwhelmed by the process or worried about costly mistakes. 💡
🔗 Connect with Chad Perry on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/perryonfire
📢 Join the conversation: What’s been your biggest challenge when building your product? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
💬 Resources & Links:
• Blog https://ftb.bz/114B
• Podcast https://ftb.bz/Podcast
• For help with fundraising, strategy, or messaging https://ftb.bz/Boost
• More running your startup videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgMU_ie96T-I8qMi2th8SIuJfMjAkuyAe
Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more startup insights! 🚀
#startups #founders #entrepreneurship #techstartups #productdevelopment #FeelTheBoot
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Chad’s Bio
I help founders and CEOs plan, build, and go to market with B2B SaaS products.
But deep down I'm just a nerd who loves to code, market, and sell - and started a few tech companies.
20+ years in tech and software development, started a few businesses, trained with the world’s top marketing coaches, now supporting founders and executive teams in product development and strategy.
If you want help starting or growing your tech business – connect with me on LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/in/perryonfire/
Entrepreneur. Global citizen and former digital nomad. Closet hippie and probable hipster. Bicycle rider of the mountain and touring varieties. Former motorcycle rider. Aviator and pilot with a fascination for helicopters. Real life rocket scientist who's never built a rocket.
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00:00 Introduction: Common Mistakes by Founders
00:53 Interview with Chad Perry: Background and Experience
02:01 Common Issues Faced by Early Stage Founders
04:21 The Importance of Mockups and Storytelling
10:06 Best Practices for Outsourcing Development
14:17 Managing Development Teams Effectively
18:00 In-House Teams vs. Outsourcing: Making the Right Choice
21:19 Understanding Technical Roles: Developer to CTO
25:18 Advice for Non-Technical Founders
32:44 Final Thoughts and Promotion
37:18 Conclusion and Call to Action
Lance Cottrell has been an active startup advisor and startup mentor for over a decade.
He has helped countless startups navigate the key decisions of their journey, like when to take venture capital investment and negotiating term sheets.
He works with many companies in accelerators like Y Combinator and Founder Institute.
He provides help with startup funding including raising venture capital and angel investment.
He can help you achieve liquidity for your company at a high valuation.
Feel the Boot is a startup vlog of tips and advice for early-stage founders.