I see several actions you can take to salvage your work on this startup:
> Address the personnel conflict.
This conflict may be resolved working with a neutral party in a facilitated meeting or a mediation. Bring all co-founders together and deal with the anger and frustration that’s been accumulating, decide upon a fair settlement with the co-founder that addresses his performance and the quality of his work (whether he stays or goes), then work together to plot out an action plan, assign responsibility for the unfinished code, and agree how to get to the finish line. Several other commenters have given opinions about how to salvage the work and get the code out the door.
> Recruit some pilot customers.
Finding some early adopters will give you invaluable insight about your market. Creating a product that fits the market’s needs is more important than making something perfect before it gets a debut. In my experience at other software companies, products significantly improved once we had a small core of users that let us know what their priorities were. We thought we understood the market, but found that it was very challenging to gain insight about rapidly evolving business needs without working directly with customers. You don’t need many, but find two or three companies that will be enthusiastic pilots.
> Reframe your thinking about the experience you’ve gained.
If you do not resolve the conflict and must abandon the business venture, you can work with a neutral person to debrief what you learned over the past two years. I have worked for many different businesses over the course of my career. The size and success of the company was not a deciding factor in my professional development, my work was. However, when I had strong feelings about my experience at a company it was often difficult for me to be objective and capture the points where I developed and grew professionally. Find a neutral coach who can draw the positives out of this experience. It will be a springboard to help you see your current situation in a positive light and that will energize you.
Taking these steps will help you get resolution about the company so you can move on, either as a viable business or as a recruitable talent in the startup community.
Comments
I see several actions you can take to salvage your work on this startup:
> Address the personnel conflict. This conflict may be resolved working with a neutral party in a facilitated meeting or a mediation. Bring all co-founders together and deal with the anger and frustration that’s been accumulating, decide upon a fair settlement with the co-founder that addresses his performance and the quality of his work (whether he stays or goes), then work together to plot out an action plan, assign responsibility for the unfinished code, and agree how to get to the finish line. Several other commenters have given opinions about how to salvage the work and get the code out the door.
> Recruit some pilot customers. Finding some early adopters will give you invaluable insight about your market. Creating a product that fits the market’s needs is more important than making something perfect before it gets a debut. In my experience at other software companies, products significantly improved once we had a small core of users that let us know what their priorities were. We thought we understood the market, but found that it was very challenging to gain insight about rapidly evolving business needs without working directly with customers. You don’t need many, but find two or three companies that will be enthusiastic pilots.
> Reframe your thinking about the experience you’ve gained. If you do not resolve the conflict and must abandon the business venture, you can work with a neutral person to debrief what you learned over the past two years. I have worked for many different businesses over the course of my career. The size and success of the company was not a deciding factor in my professional development, my work was. However, when I had strong feelings about my experience at a company it was often difficult for me to be objective and capture the points where I developed and grew professionally. Find a neutral coach who can draw the positives out of this experience. It will be a springboard to help you see your current situation in a positive light and that will energize you.
Taking these steps will help you get resolution about the company so you can move on, either as a viable business or as a recruitable talent in the startup community.