🧁 Baker’s debrief #1: finding the right co-founder isn’t a checklist

#bakersdebrief

👀 What just happened
Last week, we co-hosted a co-founder workshop with our friends at EchoHer, a community supporting women in tech and entrepreneurship. Together, we gathered a group of thoughtful, early-stage founders for a candid conversation about what it really means to build with someone — beyond resumes and role titles. We opened with two simple but powerful questions:
What does a good co-founder look like to you?
What are your own strengths and challenges as a partner?

From there, the conversation flowed—open, honest, and full of real tension. Founders reflected on the partnerships they’re building (or hoping for), and many shared the quiet doubts that often go unsaid in the hustle of startup life.

🍽️ What came up
Several themes echoed across the room:

• “Do I need a co-founder, or do I just not want to be alone?”
  A question many founders are quietly asking. The line between seeking support and seeking alignment isn’t always clear—but it matters.

• “We haven’t had a real disagreement yet — is that a red flag?”
  Some founders realized they’ve been optimizing for harmony instead of growth. Real partnerships evolve through productive tension, not polite agreement.

• “How do I bring up the hard stuff—equity, values, expectations—without killing the momentum?”
  The truth is: there’s no perfect moment. Waiting too long can cost more than a little discomfort upfront.

🥣 What I shared
We talked about the value of working trials—getting your hands dirty together before committing. It’s the fastest way to test not just skills, but communication, trust, and decision-making.

And I offered one of my favorite prompts:

If your startup idea disappeared tomorrow, would you still want to work with this person?
Because co-founder fit isn’t just about the business—it’s about the person behind it.

🧂What’s still simmering
If you're considering a co-founder:
What conversation have you been putting off?
And if you’re still searching:
What does a real partnership look like to you—not just on paper, but in the hard moments?

🍴 Co-founder tips from the workshop

Real talk from real founders figuring it out together

1. Treat early collaboration like a test kitchen.
   Before you commit, work together on something low-stakes. It reveals more than a dozen coffee chats ever will.

2. Don’t confuse good vibes for long-term alignment.
   If you’re always in agreement, you might not be talking about the hard stuff yet. Disagreements are a feature, not a flaw.

3. Talk about failure before it happens.
   Ask: “If this doesn’t work out, how would we part ways?” If that conversation feels impossible now, imagine it later under pressure.

4. Check for value alignment, not just skillset gaps.
   A technical co-founder won’t save you if you’re not aligned on pace, priorities, and purpose. Talent matters—but values matter more.

5. Ask the “still in your corner” question.
   Would you still want this person around if your idea flopped? If the answer’s no, pause before going all-in.

🔗 Coming up next
This Friday(5/30), we’re shifting gears from co-founder fit to founder storytelling — I’ll be leading a virtual workshop on how to craft and deliver a pitch that actually lands. Whether you’re prepping for investors, demo day, or just trying to get someone to care, this one’s for you.

👉Sign up here.

📚 Further reading
If you’re navigating co-founder conversations, this is a gem:
👉 50 Questions for Co-Founders — First Round Review
It’s a practical, thoughtful checklist that can spark the kind of dialogue we talked about in the workshop.

From the oven of the Baker-in-Chief at LeavenLab 🔥