

Ask HN: What do you look for in a co-founder? - quizbiz

What traits and skills do you look for in a co-founder when building that initial team?
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beaudeal
For me, the most important trait I look for in a co-founder is trust. If that
element is absent, I think building a long-term partnership would be too
difficult, no matter how wonderful they may be in other areas. They also need
to be reliable, as you need someone who's going to stick it out through the
highs and lows. Apart from that, I look for an overall high level of
intelligence and someone who compliments my skill set (e.g. someone with a
killer sense of design).

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johnm
As you say, trust (or, more specifically trustworthiness). This ends up being
a lot in terms of integrity and authenticity.

Conviction -- particularly courage of their convictions.

Understands the difference between fact and opinion. Also known as the
Criteria of Reality.

Argues honestly. Especially when combined with conviction and criteria of
reality, this allows for the flexibility to to learn and adapt rapidly.

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dwynings
Relentless Resourcefulness ;)

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suhail
Undeterred motivation.

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sho
\- intelligent, capable, agreeable, etc (obvious)

\- complements my skill set

\- understands, and unafraid of, risk

\- if a programmer, compatible with my philosophy (ie not a super-
perfectionist who will spend 3 weeks on the "perfect" deployment system, or
someone who will argue with me about text editors or some crap)

\- someone who has travelled and has some perspective of the world, ideally
having lived overseas .. maybe this is a personal thing but is important to me

\- understands what he/she is getting into and will not bail out halfway
before we even have a chance to succeed because they can't live frugally (or
whatever)

\- single, or is willing to act like they're single

\- committed, as in they have resigned or will soon

\- I know they can work independently and finish things, ie in the (recent)
past they have decided to do something (anything!) and actually done it and
can show me. Can be anything at all. This is unbelievably rare, you know

\- Just have that _je ne sais quoi_ air of "this person is serious, they are
going to do this, I am comfortable getting on board with this person" feeling
which, on the flip side, would be the kind of ineffable quality which makes
investors invest in someone

There are probably more but those spring to mind.

