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Ask HN: What qualities do you look for in potential co-founders?
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Re: Ask HN: What qualities do you look for in potential co-founders?
#2Experienced, and reasonably successful (3 exits) technical cofounder here:
Sales. Experienced, demonstrable sales excellence. Ideally selling things of comparable size to similar customers as my venture.
We should get along well, I suppose. But the best social lubricant is success, and I'm confident we'll be successful if my partner can handle customer advocacy and sales.
The greatest cofounder I've ever had was an older misogynistic homophobe (when I was a younger gay woman). We got on great because neither of us stepped on the other's toes and we crushed it.
Re: Ask HN: What qualities do you look for in potential co-founders?
#3Experienced, and reasonably successful (3 exits) technical cofounder here: Sales. Experienced, demonstrable sales excellence. Ideally selling things of comparable size to similar customers as my venture. We should get along well, I suppose. But the best social lubricant is success, and I'm confident we'll be successful if my partner can handle customer advocacy and sales. The greatest cofounder I've ever had was an o…
Although there are times when success is impossible regardless of sales or technical ability (bad economy, market forces, etc.) - how do look for a cofounder that'll work well with you during both the best and worst of times?
Re: Ask HN: What qualities do you look for in potential co-founders?
#4Experienced, and reasonably successful (3 exits) technical cofounder here: Sales. Experienced, demonstrable sales excellence. Ideally selling things of comparable size to similar customers as my venture. We should get along well, I suppose. But the best social lubricant is success, and I'm confident we'll be successful if my partner can handle customer advocacy and sales. The greatest cofounder I've ever had was an o…
Although there are times when success is impossible regardless of sales or technical ability (bad economy, market forces, etc.) - how do look for a cofounder that'll work well with you during both the best and worst of times?
During the worst of times we fail and try again later.
The goal is to win in decent or better times, so I optimize for that. And honestly, keeping it professional removes the emotional overhead of a deeper relationship. I don't need to worry about his feelings nor he mine, we just need to succeed in our domains.
This isn't a high school cafeteria, it's a job and a mission. I'm not going to choose based on intuition or friendliness, I'm going to pair up to win.
It's worth noting that as a "diverse" founder, finding someone "like me" who I "click with" and shares my views and narrative probably isn't going to happen.
Re: Ask HN: What qualities do you look for in potential co-founders?
#5In addition to the skills needed for each founding role (differs between teams) there are two vital things that have to align:
1. The why - if one of you is trying to legitimately change the world and the other knows up front they'd be happy to sell out for $x amount, chances are big problems regarding strategy will arise in the future, even if there never is a buy-out offer
2. Communication - I would rather work with someone whose 80% as good as the best available if their communication skills are better. Once you're out of the initial product development phase almost everything the founders do is communicating, on some level, whether that be managing employees, customers, or investors.
3.(BONUS) Growth mindset / Self-improvement driven - Starting a company means doing A LOT of shit that you don't want to. If you partner with someone that is afraid to be terribly shitty at something and won't even try, you're in for a rough time.
Re: Ask HN: What qualities do you look for in potential co-founders?
#6Without a doubt: Rate of Learning.
I've recently come to this realization after years of work. Rate of Learning dominates everything else. Teammate doesn't have good communication skills? Are they willing and working to learn?
Rate of learning is more important than intelligence, skill, mindset, or demeanor because it's the rate at which those change.
Choose someone who learns exponentially over someone who learns linearly.
Avoid people who aren't interested in learning like the plague your life may very well depend on it.
Re: Ask HN: What qualities do you look for in potential co-founders?
#7I would count the number of mirror neurons he has in his head, we could go into the numerous benefits this would have for you as a founder. But this should be self evident. Altruistic people tend to have this going for them the most.
Re: Ask HN: What qualities do you look for in potential co-founders?
#8Without a doubt: Rate of Learning. I've recently come to this realization after years of work. Rate of Learning dominates everything else. Teammate doesn't have good communication skills? Are they willing and working to learn? Rate of learning is more important than intelligence, skill, mindset, or demeanor because it's the rate at which those change. Choose someone who learns exponentially over someone who learns li…
Rate-of-learning: the most valuable startup compensation: https://medium.com/full-stack-marketing/rate-of-learning-the...
Re: Ask HN: What qualities do you look for in potential co-founders?
#9Perseverance. Determination to succeed, or at least survive, at all costs. I think PG and Sam Altman affectionately call people like this 'cockroaches'. I have many of the positive qualities listed in this thread but a decidedly mediocre amount of perseverance. After a month or so in the 'trough of sorrow' I become disillusioned and am ready to throw in the towel. Time and experience have mellowed me somewhat but I directly attribute success in my 20s to co-founders with a sufficient amount of cockroach DNA who would just not let the team quit no matter how hopeless it seemed.
Re: Ask HN: What qualities do you look for in potential co-founders?
#10Kindness, Efficiency, Hard work. In that order.