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What We Look for in Founders

Paul Graham · paulgraham.com Free Beginner

A concise checklist of the five founder qualities that matter most, useful for calibrating your own mindset and spotting where to grow. Primary source, zero fluff.

  • The five qualities: determination, flexibility, imagination, naughtiness, and friendship
  • Flexibility means being committed to the mission but open to changing the how
  • Great founders can imagine things others can't and are willing to break rules that don't matter
  • The best co-founder relationships are built on genuine friendship and trust
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It answers 3 questions

  1. How do I actually find a technical co-founder?
  2. Is it normal to feel like a fraud when I have no idea what I'm doing?
  3. Should I quit as a solo founder or wait until I have a co-founder locked in?

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  3. YC is the canonical authority on early-stage team formation, and this is their direct playbook for the exact problem a... YC Startup Library Article · ~12 min read How to Find a Technical Co-Founder Y Combinator
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