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Comment by jensneuse | Hacker News Reader

The inverse is also true. As a technical founder, and maybe even an introvert like me, you should definitely look for a non-technical co-founder who can help you with networking, etc... I found my dream co-founder through YC Co-founder match and what can I say, it's going great. We're focusing on enterprise GraphQL/API solutions (https://wundergraph.com) and I benefit from the networking and communication abilities of Stefan, while I answer all technical questions. Tldr, I highly recommend to team up with people who complement your skills.

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I think this trope of 'technical people = awkward introvertive nerd' is becoming less and less true. The normies have learned our craft, and they're not necessarily worse at it.

Honest question: Why can't this person be employee #(single digit), SVP of sales or something, hired during product development? Why the need to elevate to co-founder? Does an introverted technical founder really need an extraverted non-tech networking expert from day one?

When you build a startup, you have to go through so much crap, a lot of people wouldn't do that for money. But there's another aspect. Early on in the startup life, sales is not just about selling but "exploring". You have to learn about the market, what people want, what your ICP is, how to target them, etc... Does an employee care enough? Do you really want to put this responsibility into someone else's hands? I'd say no.

It’s great to hear of a YC Co-Founder success, I’m looking for a non-technical cofounder now so I’ll give this a shot

You hit the nail on the head with complimentary piece - and extending that to personality as well.

You need a mix of technical skills (engineering, product, marketing, etc) but also personalities (which manifest in different behaviors which are all useful & compliment each other - eg bias for action and hitting targets vs careful analysis).

I'm very strong in logical analysis and strategic thinking. My problem though is that I have a natural tendency to not talk to people. Ask me a question and I'm happy to answer, but I don't like to initiate conversations. Stefan is the opposite. Everybody loves him. He can talk to everyone and he's very creative in finding leads and building connections with other companies. But he's a really bad developer. Together, we're a really strong team. I'd say without him, I would still not have a strong network.

just a heads up, i found a typo on your website :)

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