Programmers are not businessmen

This is different and if you can't tell the difference, you are in some ways proving OP's point. For some reason CS people think all you need is a good product (because look at all the awesome code out there, right?) and that every other job can be done by another CS person with experience in X. Look at job descriptions for tech companies. I rarely see "looking for bizdev with experience in tech" - it's the opposite. Those business people with great ideas... yes, annoying. Tell anyone you are doing a start up and they will tell you their million dollar idea (it's not just the biz guys).

So you have a product... is it the right product? Have you interviewed your users? Ahead of time? You know that usually, you are not your user...right? And you'd rather code than talk to people, much less try to SELL to them. But discovery is a bitch so you generally need someone to bootstrap that and guess what - it probably ain't you with the minecraft t-shirt and the red bull high.

Yeah, programmers are definitely not businessmen.

Just look at how badly Bill Gates, Sergey Brin, Larry Ellison, Mark Zuckerburg, etc... are doing.

Too bad they never hooked up with you.

Enterprise companies are normally started by salespeople (save the tech heavy ones - ie. big data etc), consumer companies normally by engineers. You don't always need one or the other, but it helps.

The ideal of a balanced co-founder team is a myth. You either know someone who will complement your skills or your don't. Don't bother go looking for a co-founder - it will only end up in tears. Instead hire someone to do the things you're not good at.and if they don't work out, fire them - no equity wasted.

They are the exceptions, not the standard fare of programmers the OP is talking about.

I agree. Programmers are rational animals used to learn fast!

I think that in early stages It's more important to validate "your model" . And validate does not mean to sale by pitching! So a bad salesman is also a bad businessman.

No the shortage is people that can do both, not one or the other.

Sales people are a dime a dozen. Effective sales people than can sell an idea or MVP to important decision makers for more than it's currently worth are the rear breed. Don't be naiive.

As a programmer (since a kid, mind you, hah), I can't believe how many programmers don't realize the fucking value in learning business. Let's see,

You have context for every "business-guy" pitching something to you
You have better context for how the market works, and the loopholes it contains
You understand and confront your weak points (namely introvert-related things).
You have less need on other business people / marketers / accountants / etc. so you become less reliant on them. As a result, you don't need them and can choose to only bring on / work with those you feel add value.
Ego thing. You can kinda do their job. Can they kinda do your job? ;-)

Software engineers / programmers / developers / etc., learn your weak points! You will be stronger and more independent as a result. Trust me.