Looking for an operator for Brief Work — I want to keep building, not running it
I'm a software developer. I built briefwork.io — a marketplace where clients post structured project briefs and independent experts submit proposals. The brief format does the scoping work upfront: fixed budget range, one screening question, proposals require a portfolio URL. No endless back-and-forth before anyone commits.
Current state: live, one paid transaction ($50 GTM strategy brief, delivered credibly), experts directory at /experts, basic screening in place.
What I want: someone to own growth and operations. Finding clients, recruiting experts, managing quality, handling support. I'll keep building the product — features, tooling, whatever the platform needs technically. I'm available for product questions. I'm not available for day-to-day ops.
What you get: a working platform with design decisions already made, a builder who stays involved, and a category (structured briefs, not open-ended proposals) that isn't crowded yet.
Not looking to sell. Looking for a partner who wants to run something without building it from scratch.
Reply here or email alan@alanhalley.com.
The builder-wants-to-build, needs-an-operator split is one of the healthiest reasons to bring someone in, because the roles are genuinely complementary rather than overlapping. It's also the easiest to trial: hand over one defined slice of the running (support, ops, whatever hurts most) for a few weeks and you'll know fast. That trial-first approach is literally what I'm building CoBuildr around, opens early August if it's ever useful, but honestly the slice-and-trial move works with or without a platform.
Fair advice, and slice-and-trial is the right instinct. In my case the slice that needed handing over was demand generation, and it turned out there wasn't much of a business underneath to operate — three months live, zero customers who weren't me. Good luck with the launch.
Hi Alan, nice idea - makes sense to me, and I only have a couple of questions. I think I can offer what you are looking for, as I’ve spent years being the Swiss Army Knife type person inside small companies, looking after operations, customer success, logistics, organisation, quality control, and general day‑to‑day management.
If you want to get a feel for how I work, I’m happy to take on a small operational task for free — something you’ve been putting off or something that would help you move faster. No commitment at this stage, just a way to see if the fit is right.
To be completely transparent, I don't specialise in sales / new business, but it's something I am delving into more and more lately, and it's clear that you need two parallel growth streams here: Posters & Experts, and I have some ideas on how those streams could be built.
I have only recently joined IH, so I can't post links to my page yet in the comments, so if it’s easier, I can email you directly.
Rob — this is a month late and that's on me; I wasn't checking IH notifications. Apologies, especially since you offered to do work for free.
Straight update, because you've earned the real state rather than a pitch. Since you wrote, I went into the numbers and they're worse than my post implied: three months live, four briefs posted, all four by me, three applications, and zero dollars from anyone who isn't me. Not one stranger has ever paid to post.
I diagnosed that as a demand problem I couldn't solve — no audience, no network, no ad budget, no appetite for cold outreach. I've since repurposed the site as my own storefront and listed the marketplace for sale.
Here's why I'm still writing. You said you're not a sales specialist, but that you had ideas about building the two streams, Posters and Experts. Demand is the only thing that was ever broken — supply showed up on its own, unrecruited. If those ideas are still live, I'd genuinely like to hear them before I finish selling this. No obligation, and I'm not asking you to work for free.
If the honest answer is that a business with zero customers isn't what you signed up for, that's completely fair and I appreciate the offer either way.
alan@alanhalley.com — email's easier than IH.
Hi Alan, I am very interested in this deal. I want to learn more.
can we connect and discuss?
my portfolio https://leebin.gamer.gd/
Hi Lee, thanks for reaching out. To make sure we're aligned: I'm looking for an operator, not a developer — someone to own customer acquisition and grow both sides of the marketplace. Dev work is already covered.
If that's the angle you're interested in, happy to talk. What draws you to marketplace operations specifically?
Hi Alan, honestly, I am not familiar with operations. I was looking for a developer role. if there is still any opportunity in dev work, I'd love to contribute.
Thanks