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> The relationship between co-founders is usually the single biggest risk to a startup in the earliest stages This doesn't seem true to me. If it were the case

> The relationship between co-founders is usually the single biggest risk to a startup in the earliest stages This doesn't seem true to me. If it were the case, I think going single founder would be a way to improve the odds dramatically.

abstractbill 14y ago
A good co-founding relationship has much in common with a good marriage. Think of the output as being a happy family life. You can create that all by yourself, by adopting one or more children as a single parent. But it'll most likely be a lot harder than if you find a good partner.
- deleted 14y ago
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- benatkin 14y ago
  I don't buy this. I'm not sure I'll do a good job at explaining why not, but it's more of a hunch than anything. The reason I don't buy it is because two average people can get married and have a happy family life simply by cooperating. Cooperating is not enough to succeed with a startup, they must also have a good enough idea, good execution of the idea, and some luck. Often nothing short of brilliant execution of the idea will make a startup work. And they probably need exceptional people, not average people. Another thing is that a happy startup life, most of the time, is unsustainable. People at the startup can be happy and get along with each other right until they run out of funding. I've watched it happen. They often still get along after they've stopped working on it, but the startup has failed.
  - TheLegace 14y ago
    You know what my opinion was always that finding competent, smart, interesting and passionate people are impossible to find, at least around me. I have just gotten use to completely relying on myself. In a lot of ways other people can negatively impact your creative process by being a distraction. But at the same time, if you find someone where you can happily communicate with then maybe the ideas can pour out.
johnrob 14y ago
The obvious counter is all the other hurdles that penalize a single founder. That said, I think being a single founder is a little underrated these days. Especially if you make an effort to address the known weak points of being one.
argonaut 14y ago
I think the order goes something like: good co-founder relationship >>> single founder > resentful co-founders.

abstractbill 14y ago

A good co-founding relationship has much in common with a good marriage. Think of the output as being a happy family life. You can create that all by yourself, by adopting one or more children as a single parent. But it'll most likely be a lot harder than if you find a good partner.

deleted 14y ago
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benatkin 14y ago
I don't buy this. I'm not sure I'll do a good job at explaining why not, but it's more of a hunch than anything. The reason I don't buy it is because two average people can get married and have a happy family life simply by cooperating. Cooperating is not enough to succeed with a startup, they must also have a good enough idea, good execution of the idea, and some luck. Often nothing short of brilliant execution of the idea will make a startup work. And they probably need exceptional people, not average people. Another thing is that a happy startup life, most of the time, is unsustainable. People at the startup can be happy and get along with each other right until they run out of funding. I've watched it happen. They often still get along after they've stopped working on it, but the startup has failed.
- TheLegace 14y ago
  You know what my opinion was always that finding competent, smart, interesting and passionate people are impossible to find, at least around me. I have just gotten use to completely relying on myself. In a lot of ways other people can negatively impact your creative process by being a distraction. But at the same time, if you find someone where you can happily communicate with then maybe the ideas can pour out.

johnrob 14y ago

The obvious counter is all the other hurdles that penalize a single founder. That said, I think being a single founder is a little underrated these days. Especially if you make an effort to address the known weak points of being one.

argonaut 14y ago

I think the order goes something like: good co-founder relationship >>> single founder > resentful co-founders.