I worded these strongly because in my first startup I had complete trust in my co-founder and always assumed best intentions, even when it became obvious I shou

I worded these strongly because in my first startup I had complete trust in my co-founder and always assumed best intentions, even when it became obvious I should not. In retrospect if I had recognized some of the above as red flags earlier and discussed them candidly with my co-founder, then our company may have had a better outcome. Just as in any relationship, communication is key!