Ask HN: Cofounder doubt - can it ever work out?

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3234780

by waterbottle1 • 15 years ago

10 9 15 years ago

news.ycombinator.com

Does anyone know of someone who doubted that they had the right cofounder, stuck with the person they doubted anyway, and ended with a successful company?

byr0nic4• 15 years ago

I think conventional wisdom on this one suggests the answer to your question is "No".

Ultimately you do want that doubt to go away I'd imagine, so think to yourself, what are the steps that need to be taken for the doubt to disappear? Then ask, how likely are those steps to happen?

I can only speak from the experience of not having doubted initially but then beginning to doubt... I'm still with the same co-founder in that company as we were able to work through the specific points of difference, however I can say the result is a compromised experience compared to the original vision (at least on my behalf).

Nevertheless, it is one that has had positive benefits away from the specific company in question, inasmuch as encouraging me to adopt a broader perspective on where I'm looking to find fulfillment (of various kinds), which has in turn ultimately led me to start a second company which I'm more passionate about, has a more favourable business model, and is the one I want to spend most of my time towards.

i.e. depending on your nature, there are positive externalities that can come from sticking it out, and it may actually work out holistically for the better.

That being said, it's a matter of probability; in all reality, the arrangement won't be ideal and the only value you'll extract from the process is that generic/ubiquitous 'wisdom of failure'.

byr0nic4• 15 years ago

Whilst I was writing the above, I recalled a more pointed answer to your secondary question -

It's probably not quite the kind of "doubt" you reference, however Max Levchin at Startup School recently referred to having a scintilla of such towards Peter Thiel when they were first kicking off PayPal. This doubt was engendered after Max was abandoned in a carpark with an empty car battery by Peter who seemingly didn't really care too much for his welfare (I personally wouldn't consider Max referencing a deep-seated sense of doubt, but maybe that's all that you're referring to)... I think by all measures, things worked out fairly well thereafter... ;-)

If you haven't watched/listened to it already, worth the time for the above and other amusing anecdotes/morsels of wisdom: http://www.justin.tv/startupschool/b/298808490

waterbottle1• 15 years ago

that's the video that prompted me to ask this question! Max also said, 'Where there is doubt, there is no doubt.' which I generally agree with...but maybe entrepreneurs have a tendency to believe that they could be the exception to any rule.

steventruong2• 15 years ago

Practically anything is possible. And like everything else, without knowing you or your cofounder, your back story, etc... the best answer I can muster up is a "it depends".

Having said that, the following answer relates specifically to me so take whatever I have to say with a giant grain of salt as we are probably different people. Regardless of the reasons, regardless of the back story, relationship, etc... If for any reason, I have any hesitation or doubt about who I'm working with, it stops there. That's just how I am.

There is a difference between doubt and an issue that can be resolved.

byr0nic4• 15 years ago

"There is a difference between doubt and an issue that can be resolved."

I agree that a doubt and an issue are two different things, however having a doubt is an issue in this context, and it should be acknowledged that some issues have the potential to be resolved (solved or disappear over time).

Because of this, I don't think dealing in absolutes is always warranted re: such dilemmas, though I do agree with your conclusion.

steventruong2• 15 years ago

Agreed

kls• 15 years ago

I am in an interesting situation right now in which I and my co-founders agreed to certain financial terms. The main one being that they would send a small check every week. There was some doubt about the progress (a lot of features where added after the fact) but non the less they where uncomfortable. So I allowed them to modify the payment terms to give them time to feel comfortable. There is always a way to remove doubt even if you have to give a little when you would be justified in putting it back on them, in my case i could have put it back on them and said, you guys almost doubled the scope but the reality is many of those features are needed to make a great product, which is a common goal i share with them given that i am not in a pinch i can wait on the funds but by doing so and giving a little even when i was justified in not doing so, i was able to remove some of that doubt, because i know more than anything, doubt unaddressed is a start-up killer.

fezzl• 15 years ago

I think Max Levchin once said something like "If there's doubt about your co-founder, there's no doubt." Meaning that the moment you have doubts about your co-founder, you should break it off and cut your losses. Hope this provides some perspective.

Ask HN: Cofounder doubt - can it ever work out?

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