Having the right co-founder is crucial for startup success. A co-founder increases productivity by dividing tasks and offering complementary skills. They also provide emotional support during the challenges of building a business, helping balance out the highs and lows. While many successful companies, like Apple and Google, had co-founders, solo founders can succeed if they have strong conviction in their idea and the ability to make progress alone.

When choosing a co-founder, the most important factor is how they handle stress, as startups are intense. You should also ensure that both founders have similar goals for the company to avoid future conflicts. Complementary skills are helpful, but trust and enjoyment in working together matter more. Skills gaps can be filled by hiring later.

To find a co-founder, start with people you know and test the partnership by working on small projects together. If it’s a good fit, agree on how to split ownership (often 50-50) and decide who will be the CEO. Finally, formalize the partnership by incorporating the company and setting up a vesting agreement to ensure long-term commitment.