Ask HN: How long did the honeymoon with your co-founder last?
11 comments
I think that friction and clashes are inevitable even when your co-founders are not assholes. No two people will agree on everything. Usually when the going gets rough that's when you'll uncover the differences. That's why I'd suggest:
- Make sure you have a good co-founder agreement that addresses the tough points and doesn't assume best interests.
- Try building something and working together even before you're committed to an investor or a client.
- Make sure you have a good co-founder agreement that addresses the tough points and doesn't assume best interests.
- Try building something and working together even before you're committed to an investor or a client.
I was lucky and no project started yet, just ideas. He's shown me a company overview for his current freelance business to extend a business loan from his bank. Financial forecast. He just needed some feedback if it's well presented. There I saw he added me as headcount ("hope you don't mind") but also way overpromised on revenue of his existing projects, future client projects (not even started in reality) and overdue invoices (where it was clear the client would never pay). It was 80% smoke and mirrors. It was then I decided I wouldn't work with him in the future. Sometime later I heard he had to file for bankrupcy. A new startup would've been disasterous in my opinion.
Personally I’ve been successfully working with my cofounder on various businesses for 10+ years. Like any relationship in life, it has its ups and downs.
If you’re dealing with anything remotely resembling “deception” you need to run for the hills - ethics should never be a concern. Everything I’ve ever done has been (initially) over a handshake.
How do you find someone like this? I’m not sure. Having overlapping fundamental values goes a long way. Looking inward before blaming others is just as important.
If you’re dealing with anything remotely resembling “deception” you need to run for the hills - ethics should never be a concern. Everything I’ve ever done has been (initially) over a handshake.
How do you find someone like this? I’m not sure. Having overlapping fundamental values goes a long way. Looking inward before blaming others is just as important.
For me, it's usually until the work starts or until the end of the project. A lot of the people in the biz are there to make lots of money with as little work as possible. The cracks show as soon as they're expected to half the work.
Hackathons have been a good, cheap way to filter a cofounder, with a time limit. You see whether the tech guy is willing to build, the product guy is willing to think outside the box, and the business guy is willing to take the time to research the market and put effort into explaining the product correctly.
Hackathons have been a good, cheap way to filter a cofounder, with a time limit. You see whether the tech guy is willing to build, the product guy is willing to think outside the box, and the business guy is willing to take the time to research the market and put effort into explaining the product correctly.
I just went through a breakup of a startup project I'd been working on for almost two years with near complete strangers. I've been a serial startup guy for 15 years. The thing I've learned is that contracts are not just paper you sign. You need to take all of the time you can to make sure the partners know what they are signing and handle the risks for everyone involved well.
To be truthful, the long contract writing period with this deal probably ate up a lot of valuable runway but they understood what they signed and when it had to break up, it wasn't that big of a deal. It's possible the wreckage can be salvaged and most importantly, no one's life was ruined. I hope to try to work with them again in the future.
Usually everyone means well. Most of the time people think they know what they intend to do but don't. Sometimes people are predatory scumbags. I like working with predatory scumbags because the contracts are easier. It's people who really, really like and trust you, so much that they have a hard time being honest with themselves. That's when it's tempting to not put the effort in and when it crashes and burns, it does so real hard.
People ponzi scheme themselves all the time. Do the messy work up front! Good contracts make good co-founders. You can always slow down. It's ok to lose some first mover advantage. Make sure you know what you're getting into and make sure they do too as best as you can. Plan out what happens in the failure conditions as clearly as you possibly can. Be weary of people who do not want to do that.
To be truthful, the long contract writing period with this deal probably ate up a lot of valuable runway but they understood what they signed and when it had to break up, it wasn't that big of a deal. It's possible the wreckage can be salvaged and most importantly, no one's life was ruined. I hope to try to work with them again in the future.
Usually everyone means well. Most of the time people think they know what they intend to do but don't. Sometimes people are predatory scumbags. I like working with predatory scumbags because the contracts are easier. It's people who really, really like and trust you, so much that they have a hard time being honest with themselves. That's when it's tempting to not put the effort in and when it crashes and burns, it does so real hard.
People ponzi scheme themselves all the time. Do the messy work up front! Good contracts make good co-founders. You can always slow down. It's ok to lose some first mover advantage. Make sure you know what you're getting into and make sure they do too as best as you can. Plan out what happens in the failure conditions as clearly as you possibly can. Be weary of people who do not want to do that.
As it happens, honeymoons don't last forever:). So, if it all started just for the sake of honeymoon, it would end soon.
In my case I started business in partnership with a person who was reporting to me. I worked with her for 5 years before jumping the ship to co-found a business and then another startup. There was trust and understanding.
We do have differences of opinion about every second point and we do fight a lot. But if the foundation of trust and more importantly the passion and determination to make your creation a success, rather that what's going in your own pocket then things can last as long as you last.
We are into our 4th year and growing fast, and things are going on just fine.
In my case I started business in partnership with a person who was reporting to me. I worked with her for 5 years before jumping the ship to co-found a business and then another startup. There was trust and understanding.
We do have differences of opinion about every second point and we do fight a lot. But if the foundation of trust and more importantly the passion and determination to make your creation a success, rather that what's going in your own pocket then things can last as long as you last.
We are into our 4th year and growing fast, and things are going on just fine.
Define just fine.
You know who else is passionate? Martin Shkreli.
You know who else is passionate? Martin Shkreli.
Sales solves a lot of problems.
Things hit the fan, both personally and professionally, when money in the bank begin to decline.
Things hit the fan, both personally and professionally, when money in the bank begin to decline.
27 years later we’re still BFF
About three months
How long until you had a deception with your co-founder?