Love books/reading? I'm looking for a full-stack co-founder.
Hi all,
I'm the founder of Shepherd.com (a book discovery platform) and am looking for a full-stack co-founder to partner with.
Shepherd receives ~200,000 visits a month, and I am now building a full app for readers to bring their to-be-read list to life, do deep personalization with Book DNA, and more. I am in the early user testing and mockup stage with the app. The plan is to monetize it via a pro upgrade for readers, and I already have readers subscribing to support the project (we also have ~800 authors who are paying members).
Why do I want a technical co-founder?
I would love to work with someone fun who loves books as much as I do and gets excited about feeding human curiosity (plus helping new and upcoming authors).
I want someone to share the cognitive load with, especially on the technical side. I want a co-founder who can take on the technical challenges.
I want someone who loves shipping. And a big plus if you have experience creating consumer web and mobile apps (something we aim to launch).
I'm seeking someone who knows "how much" is enough and wants to be part of a unique business that supports their lifestyle and gives them joy to work on.
Our tech stack is Python, Django, PostgreSQL, etc. We try to be lean and mean :)
My email is ben@shepherd.com; I'd love to chat!
Hey Ben, I really like what you’re building with Shepherd. Books, discovery, and helping authors, that’s something I respect a lot. The project already has real traction, and I can see the potential with what you’re planning next.
I’m a full-stack developer with experience in both frontend and backend, and I know how to build proper, production-ready applications, not just MVPs. I’m not here to freelance or just write code, I’m interested in real collaboration and building something meaningful from both a technical and product perspective.
I enjoy building features that actually solve problems and work well for users. I’m also good at taking ownership of the technical side and handling everything from architecture to shipping.
If you’re looking for someone to share the cognitive load, especially on the development side, I’m definitely interested in chatting. Let me know if you want to connect.
Sure, just hit me up on email!
Thanks for your reply! I’ve just sent you an email.
Hi CAKennedy, I hope you don't mind me chiming in. I was impressed by your comment, particularly your desire to 'build something meaningful' and 'share the cognitive load,' not just freelance.
It might be a long shot, but your profile sounds like a perfect match for the technical partner I'm looking for. I'm building a mission-driven FinTech focused on the African market, starting in Tanzania. We have a significant head start: a confirmed partnership with a major bank, giving us access to their Open Banking APIs and entire customer network.
The challenge is building a robust platform that can pass their tests and scale quickly.
If you are not agreed with @bwb (Ben Fox), I'd love to connect with you too.
I'm that kind person that is technical and a bookworm at the same time. I've geeked out in the past with PKMs (helped built an open-source one).
And I think your platform does a great job of putting readers and authors together in one place.
Unfortunately I can't help you take it to the next level mainly because the tech stack. It's something I have quite limited experience with.
I do hope you find someone experienced in that stack to partner up with.
Thanks Juan :), I'm hoping to do a lot more long term. If you have any django/python friends please let them know!
Fantastic project, congrats for the customer-first approach.
Thanks :), it has been super fun to create, and I've learned a lot. Now I am ready to build a full reader app.
Hi Ben
Huge congratulations on what you’re building with Shepherd it’s such a thoughtful and inspiring platform for readers and authors alike.
Shepherd is exactly the kind of mission that makes building joyful. The Book DNA concept is brilliant — and I’ve worked on Django/PostgreSQL projects before that aimed for similar personalization.
Sent you an email, Ben — would love to explore how we might collaborate.
Great Ben! Please can you send me your detailed requirements on https://www.softwebsolutions.com/contactus.html
boooo :(, this is a post about a co-founder.