
The Case for the Single Founder Startup - thorie
http://www.readwriteweb.com/start/2010/09/the-case-for-the-single-founde.php#.Tid5C0eWzV8.hackernews
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alexkearns
Paul Graham is a great guy but he is now more an investor than an entrepreneur
(or at least that is how he functions with Y Combinator). We should therefore
realise that when he says that he prefers to invest in companies with more
than one founder, he is saying this from the perspective of an investor.

And from the point of view of an investor, it makes a lot of sense to have
more than one founder. You invest about the same amount as you would with a
single founder business but you get double or more the passionate people
working desperately to make the business work.

From the point of view of a founder, however, things are very different. Get
in a cofounder and you have immediately halved your stake and possible payout.
You have also lost a lot of control. You are no longer in complete control of
the company - many decisions now has to vetted by your cofounder. Not
necessarily a bad thing but there is something to be said - from a self-
actualisation perspective - for having complete responsibility for your
destiny.

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tribeofone
The being nimble and touchy relationship stuff is nice, but the real reason
you dont need a cofounder is: why split the equity 50/50, 75/25 or whatever it
is? You used to need partners to share risk (mainly the infusion of capital).
In this industry there are very small barriers to entry, faster returns, and
_plenty_ of money available if you have a good idea. Meaning there is very
little risk on the part of a entrepreneur.

Why give up a substantial chuck of the equity for a "co-founder" when you can
bring that same or similar person aboard 6 months later for a percent or two
(5 at most) and get the same results.

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patio11
_Meaning there is very little risk on the part of a entrepreneur._

This line, more than anything else in the last year, is pinging my bubble
radar. Ping, ping, _ping_!

It isn't skydiving without a parachute, but essentially everybody capable of
doing a fundable business is also capable of getting a six figure job
_tomorrow_ in the current economic environment. If it takes 1.5 to 3 years of
your life to discover that the brilliant idea to upend ad distribution through
social networks on iPhones was not quite so brilliant, you've very much lost
something. (1.5 to 3 years _of your life_ , and, by the way, some money.)

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alexkearns
You have probably learnt a lot however. Also, you assume that if someone was
not working on their start-up, they would be doing that high paid tech job you
refer to. But the reason that many people do a start up is that they could not
stand to do that high paid tech job in the first place.

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troels
_You have probably learnt a lot however._

Well, that is inevitable, regardless of what you do.

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adthrelfall
At the very early stage it make perfect sense to just go for it and scratch
that itch, but all too easy to then get burnout or bogged down in other
aspects of the business. Good advice re mentors. If you're on your own, you do
need to have those external sanity checks.

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trevelyan
Too bad readwriteweb doesn't cover them.

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bumbledraven
Would you sign up for the MIT Puzzle Hunt as a team of one? To build a
successful startup you will have to complete challenges that are even more
diverse and difficult, so why do it alone?

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phyllotaxis
This should be read by anyone with the drive to make their own future. I
believe passionately in building strong relationships with as many people you
can- but having someone that truly shares your type of drive is rare.

I think this article should be as useful to all you current co-founders, too,
as a reminder of the elements to work toward in a genuinely symbiotic
partnership.

Excellent advice.

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ttalola
Having a co-founder is better than going alone, but only if the person shares
same values, passion, attitude to work etc. Instead of trying find this person
(which is more difficult and takes more time outside the Valley) it's better
start working on the idea by yourself while still keeping your eyes open for
co-founder/1st employee.

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IMorgothI12
Ycombinator not funding my startup cost them 10 million dollars.

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rocktronica
Cost !== Lost Potential

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Troll_Whisperer
What does it mean when a ! is followed by a double equals? Is !== different
from != in netspeak?

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smarterchild
Strict equals - it doesn't cast types.

Programming distinction, and no idea why the author used that. Mostly the same
meaning though, for conversational purposes.

