I know how you feel. A failed company is rarely the same as wasted time, though. You learned a lot about what you need in a partnership.

And definitely don't beat yourself up for misjudging someone.

If you trusted no one, you'd have a miserable, unproductive life. If you trusted everyone, you'd waste all your time and money going nowhere.

It's really hard to strike a balance where you trust the right people. No one gets it right 100% of the time.