Co-Founders

Of all the decisions you’ll make as a founder, few are more consequential than who you choose as your co-founder. It’s not easy — emotionally, financially, or organizationally — to unwind the wrong choice. It can fracture a company and leave scars. And that means this is not a decision to rush.

What makes a great co-founder?

Ideally, it’s someone you’ve worked with before — someone you deeply admire. The key is alignment:

• Alignment on the problem you’re solving.
  
• Alignment on the values you’ll uphold along the way.
  
• Alignment on what the company is about at its core.
  

Mutual respect matters just as much as trust. Respect is about recognizing and valuing each other’s strengths. A co-founder isn’t just a friend — they should bring complementary skills you need. You should be able to “mind meld” on big decisions, but also disagree, argue, and repair.

Finding the right match

Picking a co-founder “cold” can work, but we don’t recommend it, as it comes with obvious risks. 

Instead, start with your networks. Lean on super-connectors — investors, mentors, colleagues who know lots of people. If you find someone promising, don’t just swap résumés or have coffee. Work on something together. 

The best filter is tackling a hard project side-by-side and seeing if you make each other better. Give it a few months as a trial period, and check in regularly about whether you both want to keep going.

Setting Expectations Early

Startups are lonely, so you want to have the right partner in the trenches. But don’t just “pick and go.” Sit down early and often with your co-founder to align on:

• Roles and responsibilities
  
• Equity split
  
• Board structure
  
• Desired outcomes
  
• Personal concerns and fears
  

Honest conversations can save you years of pain. And don’t consider it a one-time thing — keep revisiting these core tenets as the company evolves.

What if You Don’t Have One?

Not every great company starts with two names on the masthead. If you don’t have the perfect co-founder yet, you have a few options:

• Start solo and stay solo. 
• Start solo and plan to add a co-founder later.
  
• Wait until you find the right person.
  
• Decide you’d rather not do it without one.
  

There’s no single right answer. What matters is bedrock conviction in yourself and your founding team. 

Do you have something unique? Deep domain knowledge, a special skill, or the ability to recruit and inspire top talent? Investors will hold you to the same standard as co-founded teams. But if you’re sure, better to be solo and strong than partnered and misaligned.