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FindingaGreatCo-Founder!

Gary Gaessler  gary.gaessler@gmail.com - Denver Mentor 9/17/13

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Startup’sAreScaryEnough:

“Successfulsingle-founderstartupsaresorarethat

they’refamousonthataccount.”~PaulGrahamfromY

Combinator.

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MyStartups:28Co-Founders!

•  Cinnamontoothpicks:0

•  SandCandles:2

•  DV8Sportswear:1

•  ECAP:6-10•  VoIPReview:1

•  ReignNet:2

•  Propadoo:2

•  PayKids:3

•  Cloud9Express:3

•  CloudElements:3

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Co-Founders:

•  Theonlyshipthatdoesn’tfloatisapartnership•  Co-Founderspeeddang• Alwaysbesellingthedream

•  Similaralignments

•  Minimalcommitment=minusculeresults

•  EndGoal?

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LessonsLearned:

•  Datelotsofpotenalpartnersbeforeyouget“married”

•  Keep#ofpartnerstoaminimum

•  Createananidealpartnercriteriawishlist•  Neverevertakeanunemployedcorpguy!

• Nevertakeacorporateguyperiod!

•  Nowannaprenuers•  Previousstartupfailureaplus!

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LessonsLearned:

•  Nofriends,familyorrelaves

•  BowlingandNachos•  Trustyourgut•  Recruitbasedonstrengths•  Eachpartnerputsinequal$&me

•  Equityisearnednotgiven•  Whoisdoingthemostwork?

7/29/2019 DNFI Sept 17 Cofounders, Hiring and Firing: Gaessler

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Aerthe“Honeymoon”:

•  Having“kids”together•  Leanmode

•  Becheap-buthavefun•  Facemeisveryimportant

•  Alwaysshootstraight•  Don’thirefriends,butbecomefriendswithyour

Partners

•  “MarriageCounseling”

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TechnicalFounders:

•  Youdon’tfindatechnicalco-founder,youearnone– JasonFreedman

• WhywouldaTFworkforyourventure?

•  Sellthevision•  WhatideasdoyouhavetorecruittopTF’s?

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InSummary

•  Bepicky-takeyourme

•  Interviewabunchofco-founders• Structureequityearndealwithcliff

•  Havehighexpectaons•  Similarvaluesandworkethic

•  Startwiththeendinmind