Ask HN: What do you look for in a co-founder? | Hacker News Reader

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

6 pointsquizbiz6 comments

What traits and skills do you look for in a co-founder when building that initial team?

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).

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.

Trust, but verify.

No matter how much you trust your co-founder (and you should definitely choose someone you trust a great deal) make sure that there are adequate legal documents in place to protect your interests. If, years down the road, the person you trust ends up not being so trustworthy, you don't want to end up screwed. (I speak from painful experience....)

Relentless Resourcefulness ;)

Undeterred motivation.

- 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.

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