Re:Ask HN: How to found a company as a single founder?
by nimz on Tuesday January 08, 2019 @03:32PM
(#18859356)
You mentioned attracting co-founders so just adding one important piece of advice: don't be stingy about equity with your co-founders. Even if you were the one who came up with "the idea," or worked on it alone for a few months.
When your company is actually worth something down the road, you will both be wealthy enough, however, in the early stage, when your company is worth close to zero, one of the highest risks is the founder relationship/compatibility. When all partners have equal ownership, there is a much lower chance of having passive-aggressive power struggles, and grudges.
A toxic, deteriorating co-founder relationship will almost surely kill your company too early, whereas being generous early will be something your co-founders will never forget and it will pay back multifold overall.
When your company is actually worth something down the road, you will both be wealthy enough, however, in the early stage, when your company is worth close to zero, one of the highest risks is the founder relationship/compatibility. When all partners have equal ownership, there is a much lower chance of having passive-aggressive power struggles, and grudges.
A toxic, deteriorating co-founder relationship will almost surely kill your company too early, whereas being generous early will be something your co-founders will never forget and it will pay back multifold overall.