MEPX
Chapter 8 of 10All chapters
  1. 1Ideas
  2. 2Testing the idea
  3. 3Talking to customers
  4. 4Building the first version
  5. 5Product-market fit
  6. 6Funding
  7. 7Runway and burn
  8. 8Founders and early team
  9. 9Growth
  10. 10An honest picture

Chapter 8 of 10

Founders and early team

Where many failures actually start.

Co-founders

Disagreement between founders ends more companies than competition does. Discuss roles, decision rights, equity and what happens if someone leaves, in writing, early.

  • Vesting protects everyone, including the person who stays.
  • Equal splits are common and not automatically right.

First hires

Early employees shape the culture more than any document. Hire for judgement and range rather than narrow specialisation, because the job will change repeatedly.