How Non-Technical Founders Can Build and Lead Tech Startups with Nelly Yusupova

At Female Founder Collective's The 10th House, we know that building a tech startup as a non-technical founder can feel impossible. In our latest virtual workshop, "How Non-Technical Founders Can Build and Lead a Tech Startup," founders were given a new revelation: you can lead technical teams without writing a single line of code.

With 90% of startups failing and founders losing tens of thousands on mismanaged development cycles, understanding how to lead like someone who understands the process has never been more critical.

The Question Is: Do You Need A CTO?​​

In an eye-opening and tactical workshop, Nelly Yusupova (Fractional CTO, Startup Tech Advisor, and creator of TechSpeak for Entrepreneurs) shared her battle-tested framework from 18+ years of helping over 1,500 non-technical founders avoid costly mistakes. She has been featured in Fast Company's "League of Extraordinary Women" and named "Woman on the IT Fast Track” by WSJ. 

Her revolutionary approach? Stop waiting for a technical co-founder and start earning one through proven traction.

The Strategies That Save Founders Thousands (According to Someone Who's Seen Every Mistake)

Here's what Nelly revealed about building tech startups that actually work:

• Earn your technical co-founder, don't find one. The biggest mistake? Thinking you need a technical partner to start. Instead of pitching from desperation, create traction first: validate your idea with clickable prototypes, build a community, and invest your own money in an MVP. 
• Learn early, learn often, learn cheap. Your startup should become a series of well-designed experiments. The smaller your experiments, the faster you can test and learn. Every failure = valuable data for better decisions. 
• Own the dev process with a "Developer-as-a-Service" mindset. Whether your team is in-house or outsourced, you must handle product and project management. The biggest trap is trusting developers to manage everything.
• Become tech literate without coding. Learn the language of technical people (hello servers, APIs, databases, frameworks…) so you can have effective conversations, set realistic expectations, and confidently push back on bad advice. Different stages require different approaches, and brilliant people often give terrible advice for early-stage startups.
• Focus on painkiller problems, not vitamins. During validation, find your best paying customer (i.e., the one who experiences the highest pain AND has the budget to solve it). These customers will pull you forward with their demand instead of you pushing a boulder uphill.

If you’re a 10th House member, click here to watch the replay.

If you’re not a 10th House member, click here to apply today. Now is the time to invest in you, invest in your business and get maximum results with an exclusive community by your side. We want YOU to join in on the fun and get all the vetted resources, events, workshops, connections, and advice that you need to be successful.

Your Invite to 10th House: A Community that Fuels Your Journey

At Female Founder Collective’s 10th House, we exist to democratize access to the strategies, insights, and connections that have traditionally been locked behind closed doors. Our community fosters authentic connections, celebrates victories, and shares honest advice, creating a space where founders can grow together.

As a member of The 10th House, here’s what you can unlock:

• Direct access to industry leaders who meet you where you are and give candid, real-world advice.
• Supportive workshops, resources, and frameworks you can apply the same day.
• Opportunities to connect with founders who celebrate your wins and help you through setbacks—with zero judgment, just true understanding.
• Front-row seat to future events like our intimate fireside chats, founder cohorts, and exclusive pitch demos.

Apply now below to join our vibrant community and unlock the resources, insights, and connections you need to scale your entrepreneurial journey. Let’s build the future, side by side 💌

Apply for 10th House Membership

What's Next?

Become a part of a community of like-minded female founders. Inside The 10th House, you’ll find fellow founders, investors, and above all, a community.