Six Traits Of A Great Co-Founder

It’s certain that you cannot possess all the knowledge of the world. It’s wise to start with a co-founder, but don’t start with any co-founder; your best friend may not be your best co-founder. A bad co-founder can kill your startup.

Here are the 6 traits to look in your potential co-founder from my experience:

Complementary Skills

Does your potential co-founder possess the skills that you don’t? A startup is like building a car, which needs an engine, wheels, and a structure. If you are an expert in designing engines then make sure you find someone who provides for the wheels.

Decisiveness

Often your startup will require prompt decision-making. Is your co-founder making the decision process slow? A slow decision is as lethal as a wrong decision. Windows Phone is a great example of a slow decision. You want to start with a person who is decisive.

Dedication

Is your co-founder devoting 100% of their time and energy to the startup? If you hear them say ‘I am thinking about taking a job for a year, but I’ll come back to our startup’ or ‘that internship will look great on my resume’, just RUN away from them! You want people who are passionate about the startup and not about their resume.

Communication

Lack of communication increases insecurity and conflicts. This can lead to poor team-coordination, which will harm your startup in the long run. Make sure your co-founder is able to communicate their ideas and feelings effectively.

Learner

Is the person an avid learner? The world rewards the person who is a learner. The same is true for your startup. In short:
The sum of the knowledge that your startup has is directly proportional to the startup’s success.

Accountable for Mistakes

We are human beings, we are not perfect, we make mistakes. What matters the most is what do you do after you have made a mistake. Do you admit it? or do your give an excuse for it? or worst of all, blame it on the other person. You should start with a person who is not reflected in the latter two.

A great thing about us, the humans, is that we can learn anything. Your negative traits can be overcome by knowledge.

Note: The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author and does not necessarily reflect the views held by Inc42, its creators or employees. Inc42 is not responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied by guest bloggers.

You have reached your limit of free stories
Become An Inc42 Plus Member

Become a Startup Insider in 2024 with Inc42 Plus. Join our exclusive community of 10,000+ founders, investors & operators and stay ahead in India’s startup & business economy.

2 YEAR PLAN
₹19999
₹7999
₹333/Month
Unlock 60% OFF
Cancel Anytime
1 YEAR PLAN
₹9999
₹4999
₹416/Month
Unlock 50% OFF
Cancel Anytime
Already A Member?
Discover Startups & Business Models

Unleash your potential by exploring unlimited articles, trackers, and playbooks. Identify the hottest startup deals, supercharge your innovation projects, and stay updated with expert curation.

Six Traits Of A Great Co-Founder-Inc42 Media
How-To’s on Starting & Scaling Up

Empower yourself with comprehensive playbooks, expert analysis, and invaluable insights. Learn to validate ideas, acquire customers, secure funding, and navigate the journey to startup success.

Six Traits Of A Great Co-Founder-Inc42 Media
Identify Trends & New Markets

Access 75+ in-depth reports on frontier industries. Gain exclusive market intelligence, understand market landscapes, and decode emerging trends to make informed decisions.

Six Traits Of A Great Co-Founder-Inc42 Media
Track & Decode the Investment Landscape

Stay ahead with startup and funding trackers. Analyse investment strategies, profile successful investors, and keep track of upcoming funds, accelerators, and more.

Six Traits Of A Great Co-Founder-Inc42 Media
Six Traits Of A Great Co-Founder-Inc42 Media
You’re in Good company