How to Find Your Co-founder? Tips for First-Time Founders
Finding the right co-founder for your startup can be likened to finding a needle in a haystack. It's never a cakewalk, even for serial entrepreneurs. The challenge lies not just in finding someone with the right skillset, but in finding someone whose values, goals, and work ethic align with yours. In this article, I’m going to lay out a clear framework to help guide first-time founders through this often murky process. As a serial tech entrepreneur who has co-founded over 10 companies in the last two decades, this framework has been carefully crafted from my own experiences and lessons learned, some of them costly. Whether you’re looking for a tech wizard, a sales maven, or an operations guru, these steps will put you on the path to finding your ideal co-founder.
Decide Who You Need
Before you even begin your search for a co-founder, it’s critical to understand exactly what you need. Who are the right people to help your startup thrive? The Antler framework is an excellent place to start, but let’s break down the archetypes of the ideal founding team.
The Internal Guru
Firstly, you need someone who’s deeply passionate and highly respected in their field – the internal guru. This individual is often someone with specialized skills that are core to your business. For instance, in a tech startup, this could be a CTO or tech lead. However, these specialists sometimes struggle to effectively communicate or sell their work due to imposter syndrome. So, it’s essential that the internal guru is paired with other co-founders who can complement their skillset.
The Extroverted Business Partner
This is where the extroverted business partner comes in. This individual is an expert in networking, building relationships with external stakeholders, and possibly in Sales, Marketing, or Business Development. If your startup is in the fundraising stage, this role is even more critical, as building relationships with potential investors and customers is a full-time job.
The Operations Guy
Finally, you need the operations guy, often the CEO, who can manage the day-to-day operations, ensuring information flows smoothly in all directions. They should be adept at planning, setting up support structures for the team, and comfortable dealing with ambiguity.
What About Finance?
One role not mentioned above is Finance. While this is an essential part of any startup, it may not be necessary to have a finance expert onboard during the early stages. However, as your startup grows, you will need someone to take care of financial planning and analysis.
By identifying these key roles, you’ll have a clearer picture of who you need on your founding team. But remember, while three is often cited as the golden number, the right number for your startup might be different. The key is to ensure that the founding team’s combined skills and expertise cover all the essential business functions.
Get Candidates from Venture Capitalists / Potential Investors
When you know what you’re looking for in a co-founder, the next step is to find candidates. One of the often-overlooked avenues is through venture capitalists and potential investors.
Venture Capital Networking Events
VC networking events are goldmines for meeting like-minded individuals. At these events, not only can you practice your pitch and make your intentions known, but you may also find people who share your passion and vision. These are the people who can potentially become your co-founders. Be active in attending these events, and don’t shy away from striking up conversations.
Incubation Programs
Another excellent avenue is joining an incubation program. These programs are breeding grounds for innovative ideas and attract individuals with diverse skill sets. For example, one of my startups, Alterno, was incubated through Antler's 10-week program. Within the first week, I found a highly skilled hardware engineer who became my co-founder.
Incubation programs also offer mentorship, networking opportunities, and access to resources that can be invaluable to your startup. Even if your startup doesn't make it through the program, the network and experience you gain can be immensely beneficial.
Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to your network for recommendations. Sometimes, the best connections come through word-of-mouth referrals. Also, VC's often have a wide network of professionals they can recommend, so leverage this network to your advantage.
In summary, don’t limit your search for a co-founder to conventional methods. Engage with venture capitalists, join incubation programs, and leverage your network to find individuals who can help drive your vision forward.
Get to Know Mutual Skillsets
Once you have potential candidates, it’s time to dive deeper into their skills and background. It’s crucial to ensure that the skillsets within the founding team are complementary and not just similar. Here’s how to go about it:
Review Resumes and Profiles
Start by reviewing resumes and online profiles, such as LinkedIn. Look for experience, skills, and achievements that align with the roles you've identified for your co-founders.
Conduct Background Checks
Speak to references and, if applicable, past investors. This will give you insights into the candidate's work ethic, reliability, and performance in previous roles or ventures.
Corporate or Startup Environment
Evaluate what kind of environment the candidate excels in. Some individuals thrive in the structured environment of a corporation, while others are more suited to the agile and fast-paced world of startups.
Comprehensive Skillset
Ensure that the combined skillsets of the founding team cover all essential business functions: Sales, Marketing, Product Strategy, Design, Engineering, Operations, Fundraising, Leadership, Company Building, Recruiting, Legal, and any niche-specific skills your business might need.
Compatibility
Evaluate if the candidate's skills and work style are compatible with yours. A diverse skillset is essential, but it's also important that the team can work together effectively.
Remember, finding the right co-founder is not just about ticking boxes. It’s about finding someone who brings something unique to the table and can help the company grow in a direction that aligns with its vision.
Understand Mutual Stage of Life and Lifestyle
As you delve into the professional aspect of potential co-founders, it is equally important to understand their personal lives. A startup journey is a marathon, not a sprint. You will be spending years together, through highs and lows, so understanding each other’s stage in life and lifestyle preferences is paramount.
Career Stage
Consider where the candidates are in their career. Are they seeking the next big leap or a steady, gradual progression? Understanding their career aspirations will help align personal and company goals.
Personal Commitments
Are they married? Do they have children? Understanding their family commitments helps in setting realistic expectations regarding time and effort, especially during crunch times.
Financial Stability
Evaluate their financial stability and understand how long they can afford to have minimal salaries during the bootstrapping phase. It’s important to set mutual timeframes and expectations in this regard.
Working Style
Understanding when and how candidates work is crucial. Are they morning people or night owls? Do they prefer a structured environment or a flexible one? Aligning work styles ensures a smoother workflow.
Personal Motivations and Side Hustles
Learn about their side projects or hobbies. Often, these can be strong indicators of hidden talents or passions that can be invaluable to the startup. Ensure that any side hustles do not conflict with the startup’s interests.
Work-Life Balance Perspectives
Understand their views on work-life balance. Some may be willing to put in long hours, while others may prioritize a balanced lifestyle. Striking a balance that satisfies the entire team is essential.
Remember, the objective is to build a founding team whose members not only complement each other professionally but also coexist harmoniously on a personal level.
Ask Yourself the Beer Test & BBQ Test
Building a startup is not just about combining skills and expertise; it's also about forming a bond and a strong working relationship with your co-founders. When evaluating potential co-founders, it’s important to consider personal compatibility. I have two simple tests to share that can be very revealing:
The Beer Test
Ask yourself, would you feel comfortable going out for a beer with this person after work? Can you see yourself engaging in a relaxed conversation about various topics? If the answer is yes, it indicates that you are comfortable with the person on a social level, which is crucial for open communication and collaboration.
The BBQ Test
Would you feel comfortable inviting this person to a family BBQ or a get-together with close friends? This test assesses whether you consider the person trustworthy and compatible enough to introduce to your personal circle.
These tests might seem trivial, but they are vital. Building a company is often a high-pressure endeavor, and having co-founders with whom you can maintain a positive relationship during both good and stressful times is invaluable. From my experience, if you find hesitation in answering ‘Yes’ to either of these questions, consider it a red flag. Don’t compromise when it comes to personal compatibility with your co-founders.
Next, let’s talk about spending time professionally and personally to further assess the fit.
Spend Time Professionally
Before jumping into a partnership, it’s wise to spend some time working together in a professional capacity. This will help you understand how your potential co-founders handle stress, solve problems, and contribute to the team.
Set a Mental Timeline
Establish a mental timeline for this evaluation period, such as three to six months. This allows sufficient time to gauge how well you work together.
Establish Meeting Cadence
Set up regular meetings to discuss the progress of the project. This will help you understand their commitment and reliability. If they can't keep up with your pace, it might be an indicator that they are not the right fit.
Challenge Each Other
You should feel challenged by them, and they should feel some pressure from you. This dynamic is essential for a startup to evolve rapidly. Both parties must demonstrate their unique capabilities and establish expectations.
Spend Time Personally
In addition to professional interaction, spend time outside of work activities. This can give you insights into their attitude towards life and challenges.
Observe Attitude and Values
Pay attention to how they approach life challenges and what values they hold. These attributes are fundamental and can affect how they make decisions within the business.
Be Attentive to Changes
Life is dynamic, and situations change. Be ready to adjust expectations based on changes in personal situations, such as family commitments, that might affect time and effort.
By spending time both professionally and personally with potential co-founders, you can make a well-informed decision on whether or not they are the right fit for your startup.
TLDR;
Finding the right co-founder is an art and a science. As first-time founders, the task can seem daunting, but with a structured approach, it becomes manageable and even enjoyable. We started by understanding the importance of identifying who you need. Next, we looked into leveraging venture capital networks to find potential candidates. We delved into the importance of mutual skillsets and understanding each other's life stages and lifestyles. Lastly, we discussed practical tests and the importance of spending time both professionally and personally to assess compatibility.
While the tips and framework provided in this article are derived from experience and can be very helpful, it's essential to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Each startup is unique, and so is the journey in finding the perfect co-founder. Be open, diligent, and trust your instincts. As a serial entrepreneur, I understand the trials and tribulations of founding startups. My hope is that this article provides you with the guidance needed to embark on this exciting journey confidently.
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