Choosing a co-founder is one of the biggest decisions you will make. Ask these before you commit.
Vision and goals
- Why do you want to start a company now?
- What does success look like in five years?
- Would you rather build a big company or a profitable small one?
Commitment
- How many hours per week can you give right now?
- How long can you go without a salary?
- What would make you quit?
Working style
- How do you handle disagreements?
- How do you like to make decisions?
- What did you learn from your last team?
Roles and ownership
- Which decisions should each of us own?
- How should we split equity, and why?
- Should equity vest over time?
Hard situations
- What happens if one of us wants to leave?
- How do we handle running out of money?
- What would you do if we disagreed about a pivot?
There are no perfect answers. What matters is that you can talk about them openly.