What do technical founders need to watch out for when choosing a co-founder

With so many people in tech working remote, companies closing down offices because people are more efficient working from a distance and using modern productivity tools sync up and execute the vision, is it EVER a good idea to find a co-founder who’s not in the same location as you?

Choosing a co-founder is hard and if you didn’t know each other from work, school or social events it’s hard to trust one another but even harder for investors to trust the bond you have is strong enough.

“Legends” are lazy

A “legend” is a former 20-year exec at whatever Evil Corp. who wants to use their experience to build a startup. More often than not, they spend their career implementing a process and strategy and not thinking about making one.

A high profile doesn’t mean high efficiency

Social media profiles are built over time and take much effort. Unless your previous company required you to create a robust online persona to sell more, then why would you invest money and time in doing so? Vanity or time. How did you have so much free time?

ZIP-code envy people

Just because you live in Silicon Valley doesn’t mean you are an “insider.” Just because some microchip was invented 20min from your house doesn’t say you had anything to do with it. Just because a friend of a friend peed at the same bathroom stall as Marc Andreessen doesn’t mean they “have connections.”

People who’ve been out the game for too long

I’ve met many successful people who have been focusing on their personal life for a while but are looking to get back to startups. Technology moves very fast, so being idle for 4–5 years makes a lot of your experience irrelevant.

Corporate virgins

Coming out of corporate can be tricky. Corporations spend an impressive amount of money to keep people from being creative and, in time, the effect can be permanent. If you are young and you spend a few years, then it’s okay. However, if you spent over ten years, chances are you can’t adapt to the fast pace discovery and iteration that a startup needs.

Small-talk experts

Extroverts make the best salespeople, that’s a lie. 82% of companies want to buy from an expert, not from a salesperson.

VCs and Big 4 long-time consultants

My friend, just because you watch Bruce Lee movies doesn’t mean you can do karate.

Photo by Ashley Jurius on Unsplash

Rules to remember

1. choose people on their way up not on their way out
2. a co-founder is NOT an excuse for you to do less
3. look to complete the skillset the startup needs
4. make sure they are exceptional at one thing
5. make sure you are exceptional at one thing
6. make sure that one thing is what the startup needs
7. be honest with yourself