How to Find a Technical Cofounder Without Sounding Desperate

Finding a technical cofounder can feel impossible — especially when you’re a solo founder without a technical background. In this candid clip from Pick My Brain, startup investor and coach Alan Jones shares a counterintuitive strategy: stop pitching your vision, and start asking for help with specific problems.

Using a microwave metaphor you won’t forget, Alan explains the “engineer mindset” and how it responds to real, solvable tasks — not vague cofounder job ads. You’ll learn why leading with transparency, showing momentum, and tapping human instincts to help can be far more powerful than a cold LinkedIn DM.

Stephen Neli, founder of Zellus, takes it all in and reflects on how this mindset shift will change his approach to finding a CTO.

This clip is packed with actionable advice for early-stage founders, solo hustlers, and first-time entrepreneurs navigating the awkward but essential search for their first technical teammate.

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