Non-programmer leading a tech start up,why not?
While in school, it is very difficult to find a partners/programmers who are willing to believe in your idea and take commit to it, even harder if you are in business..(I found programmers dislike business kids, ALOOT.)
I am a non-programming guy, had an idea and started looking for partners 4 months ago.
First round: I contacted probably around 30 computer engineering students around Waterloo through clubs and friends. 12 replied, 7 wrote polite rejections and 5 agreed to eat chicken wings with me (yes.. I could only offer chicken wings to people). Of course my pitch wasn't polished, then I got rejected by all 5 of them politely.
Second round: Contacted 16, 5 replied, 2 came to eat wings and I finally convinced one. Then, we started building and hacking, then realized we need more help since all of us are still in school. (I started learning Django and bunch other stuff 7 hours a day from 11pm to 6am. Then sleep from 6 to 11:30)
Third round: I only contacted 7 and successfully recruited 2.
I pitched to different developers total of 34 times so far. Spent roughly 320 bucks on wings, I only scheduled dates when there were wing nights...so the bills were around $15, cuz I would just get a drink.
In conclusion, As non-programmer student entrepreneur, I learned. 1. You get used to rejections a lot quicker, so thicker skin. 2. You refine your idea a lot more through constant bashing/questioning from developers since you are such a tech amateur . 3. You appreciate and respect your partners a lot more. 4. It is not a race, if a slow walker gets to destination, he is still a winner.
Now, we became a small team of 5, just bunch of ordinary kids trying to accomplish extraordinary things. I don't qualify as the "crazy smart guy" at all, but a snail like me will find the snail way to build a product and company.