How to Find a Cofounder?

I have had 1:1 conversations with hundreds of founders during my time working at accelerators and delivering programmes. From PhD academics to first year freshman founders, I have heard some incredible stories as well as faced some difficult questions. But, one of the most common ones I heard was: “Where do I find a cofounder?”

Tough one, I know. It feels like almost an insurmountable question, but let’s try to unpack this.

Now, as someone who has cofounded my own startup, I stood in many of these founders’ shoes only years earlier facing the similar phantoms of stress and uncertainty. But, I also had an incredible rock of a cofounder by my side. (And we can go into how we met another day because that one is a random story!)

I wish I could say amazing talented entrepreneurs grow on trees, but I would be wrong.

However, when a founder asks me this question, here are the common pieces of advice:

Think about what you are looking for.

No one wants to date themselves…so you wouldn’t want two of you on the same team would you? My argument there is that then there is one too many!

Teams should be lean in the beginning, and your skillsets should complement each other. If you are highly technical, then maybe having someone who is more gregarious at sales or marketing/comms would be beneficial.

Make an audit of the skills you have and a list of the ones you would be looking for in your dream cofounding team. (Or use this template I made if it is easier!) Then you can go out with a clear mindset of what and who you are looking for.

Share that you are looking.

Sometimes I see solo founders sitting quietly hoping that a cofounder will come along. Often times, sadly though there is no yellow brick road to the dream team.

People will only know you are looking for a team if you share it. Ask your peers, individuals from an accelerator, members in a startup meetup or organization. Do not be afraid to let your student societies know, post on Linkedin or social media, see if you can post about it to alumni groups, and share via word of mouth.

(I am working on a list of awesome resources, so if you know any networking groups or hubs you like, let me know.)

Let the universe know that you are looking because some of the best cofounding teams happen by referrals from other people. (And it is almost like they’ve been pre-vetted!)

Go where talent is planted.

In the university ecosystem, there is so much talent. Think about it, this is just an institution full of talented, curious, and intelligent people.

And, there is talent across the spectrum of skills—from experts in computer science to amazing marketers acing it on socials.

Do not hesitate to go where the talent is planted. This includes the student societies, hackathons at your uni and others, events, and meet ups. You can drop a line to professors in the areas you are looking for talent in. A lot of universities have entrepreneurship hubs, and there you can find some great connections and startup-minded people.

Also, check out regional events on sites like Eventbrite, MeetUp, and from incubators, coding programmes, design schools, and accelerators.

(Pst..If you are looking at where to find a specific talent, message me! Let me see if I can help. )

Best friends don’t always make best business partners.

Sometimes best friends can build AMAZING businesses.

But, I have also seen this go very wrong.

You have a great friend, and you get along swimmingly. You both are great. But, their business habits and attitude do not match yours. This may seem like a little thing now, but this could impact your productivity and culture later on.

My rule is: if you cannot fire your friend and still have a friendship, then I would think long and hard about having them as a cofounder.

Give yourself time and space to see if there is a connection and aligned motivation.

Like any relationship, these things take time. Instead of instantly going in thinking “I need to find a cofounder!” Think about it as “I need to expand my network.”

Getting to know, actually know, people is critical.

Before immediately signing a cofounder agreement, give yourself some space and time to work to see if this is a relationship that could gel. There needs to be similar motivation and drive towards advancing the business.

And, these things take time and work: you should be able to communicate openly, set objectives with each other, and hold each other accountable. But, you should also be able to have a lunch or a beer with them and not want to run the other way.

You cannot force a cofounder relationship.

There is no shame in being a solo founder.

And often times, founding a team happens organically. There needs to be this constellation of factors from personal circumstances, timing, and talent to take place. I know this is annoying as I wish there was a fast-forward button as well, but trust the process. You do not just want a cofounder, you want the right one.

Where have you found your cofounder? I am always looking for great cofounder stories!

And have a question? Submit your own QoD here to have it answered in a subsequent edition!

If this has been useful to you or if you have feedback to improve, please drop me a quick line. Or share with a friend!