
How To Choose Your Co-Founder - eladgil
http://blog.eladgil.com/2012/02/how-to-choose-co-founder.html
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MatthewB
Most of this article is true. Assuming you don't have anyone in your immediate
circle to ask to join you as co-founder, it becomes exponentially more
difficult to find someone that fits.

I've been going through that right now with my startup. We've (my co-founder
and I) been looking for a 3rd to join our team and have been interviewing a
ton of people. It is very difficult to find someone with the right skill set,
passion/dedication, and especially someone who agrees on the "key questions."

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kurtvarner
All of this is good to keep in mind, but the most important thing you can do
while co-founder dating is to simply _work_ with the person. You can talk
together all you want, but when you start working together on something _hard_
it will become clear whether there's a potential co-founder fit.

~~~
eladgil
I 100% agree with this. I think the first thing to do to see is if there is a
compatible work style, as well as follow through, ethics, etc.

To your point that is why I think it is optimal to work with someone on
something before deciding they are co-founder material.

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suneilp
This was a great article considering the issues I've been having with my
fellow co-founders.

It's become clear I'm not respected, and get that 'just a developer'
treatment. Perhaps thats my fault for not being more outspoken and critical of
others. Either way, if there isn't mutual respect and trust, it ain't worth
it. Its going to make you miserable.

Another point is that the CEO can't bring down the pressure on the slackers.
The slackers can't directly admit to being slackers. And the CEO is taking 51%
and not in favor of investors (wants to self-fund).

This has been a nightmare. Hopefully not having assigned my software over will
protect me.

I've learned the hard way the consequences of jumping in bed with co-founders
without making sure that there is alignment on many of the points in the
article.

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alain94040
I covered the top 5 mistakes people make with co-founders in my talk at the
Startup Conference Seattle earlier this month: someone was kind enough to
almost write down everything:
[http://www.authenticwritingprovokes.com/inspiredwriting/2012...](http://www.authenticwritingprovokes.com/inspiredwriting/2012/02/startup-
conference-seattle-2012-part-1-3/)

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Macsenour
I'm on the hunt for a co-founder so this is very timely. I think that the last
5% is that intangible connection. Finding that connection requires getting out
of the interview process.

edit: typo

