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Is a business-type cofounder necessary for a startup to succeed?
3 points by juwo on April 7, 2007 | hide | past | favorite | 7 comments


No, but there should be at least one who is willing to do that kind of work initially, even if it doesn't feel natural.

Octopart, for example, was founded by a bunch of physicists. One is now doing sales. Sales is not the most natural work for a physicist, and maybe one day they'll have official sales guys doing it, but for now he is doing surprisingly well.


"It will take you 6 to 10 years to learn the business side, so you must look for a business-type cofounder right from the start", a former advisor insisted. Himself a business type, he despises techies, because they despise 'suits'.


"Business types" are not necessary.

What is necessary is the presence of someone who really understands people. Your product is destined to be used by people; so make sure that someone on your team has an interest in truly understanding your users and the other people that you will have to deal with.


That is a new point I have not heard before. Yes, I think it is important; men-programmers dont have good soft skills. One would have to really know such a person (from elsewhere) to know they are gifted in this area. Perhaps I should recruit my wife :)


"business-type" and having a Jobs to match against a Woz are two completely different things.

Business type qualities can be shared across several non-business types easily. When you see startups without the business type succeeding, its because it is there amongst all of the co-founders, inside of them.


I think the key here is to define what you mean by "business-type" person.

Someone who can read a financial statement or is willing to learn, who spent a lot of time growing up or in school reading about the web business, who has started up a few businesses whatever they do, who is interested in that side of the company: yes (as long as they are technical too).

Someone who is an MBA but has limited real world experience: no.


Clearly not necessary, since the list of startups without such a person as a founder is long.




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