So, here's a simple recipe for the bizdez person. If you do this, someone like me will be impressed and way more likely to join your startup.
1. Mock up your product in as much detail as possible. You don't need to be a graphic design genius--I know we can figure that part out later. At this stage, it's just about showing how your product will work. Interface sketches, flowcharts, etc. would all be helpful. This shows me you've thought through the details, and on another level, it proves you're willing and able to invest quality time in product development. (I.e. you're not the guy who gets "a great new idea" in the shower, emails it to the programmer, and spends the rest of the day reading blogs.)
2. Show all these design documents to bloggers and potential customers. Get their feedback. Find out how interested they are. Then show me some artifacts from these conversations (emails, etc) to prove you've done it. I'll probably contact the same people afterwords and verify what was said, just to be safe. (Can't be too careful when you're betting several years of your career.)
3. Build a successful blog. Hard? Very much so. But it's great experience, it will serve as a natural advertising platform when the product is ready, and most of all, it shows me you have the aptitude to get and keep people's attention.
4. Most importantly, build trust in the context of a real working relationship. Take on a much smaller project with your potential cofounder. Go out for dinner/drinks frequently. Get to know the person. I would only found a business with a person whom I trust completely. Building that takes time.
Writing the code has taken up about 40% of my time. The other 60% could have been done by someone with no coding abilities at all. There is more than enough work to go around in a startup.
Oh, and if this sounds like you my email is in the profile.
Just as Enterprise Architects often make crappy startup founders because they can't think down to the low level details of hacking, VP level biz dev guys make terrible founders because they can't hustle like a low level sales guy will.
That's what my current cofounder did to me. Balked at first, but then I realized that it's not going to get magically easier after the trial. It was the right amount of realistic pressure -- just make sure that it's realistic.