I'm currently looking for a few new co-founders since my original co-founder left because of personal issues. What traits should I look for, aside from what they can bring to the table? What questions should I ask when meeting with them? What warning signs should I look out for? I'm looking into cofounders.com to set up meetings as well as attending group events from meetup.com such as 1 Million Cups and Startup Grind.
What kind of Culture do you want your company to exemplify?
Culture being the shared values - a sense of right and wrong - and principles - guidelines for taking action - of any collective group, what you actually would like to analyze more deeply is...yourself.
In the startups I have mentored or consulted for, cofounders vary a fair bit. Usually a decent mix of Type A and B, extrovert and introvert, yin-and-yang of skills to complete each other.
What holds them together is the strong sense of mission, orientation towards employees, customers and exit strategy.
So those are the things you have a strong and honest conversation about right up front. If the cofounder candidate passes your test, they are fine on internal motivations. Externals? That's another story :) !
Great strategy to look for 'the one' so far. Consider adding LinkedIN discussion groups to the list.
Happy to discuss further, bonne chance!
Answered 9 years ago
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