Breaking a myth: Data shows you don’t actually need a co-founder
I&#x27;ve cofounded 4 different startups. All were good ideas that bled cash or time and flopped, largely due to infighting or founder differences. One cofounder of one of the companies got really nasty about trying to leave with the rights to the company and we other two cofounders just let him have it. He sold the rights and it&#x27;s now a successful venture-backed startup with soaring profits (two cofounders). Good for that team.<p>Since then, I&#x27;ve managed my own single-founder startup. We&#x27;re profitable, growing, and valued at about $2.2 million. We&#x27;re implementing a lot more over the course of this year and next, and I will look to exit in early 2018, once our valuation is closer to the $10 million or $20 million range.<p>I have a lot of other companies I want to start after. I will bring on talented people in executive roles who can complement me and make up for my own weaknesses, but I won&#x27;t cofound again. I&#x27;d rather keep the smart, business-oriented people I know in masterminds where we can compare ideas and bounce thoughts off each other, than wade into business situations where our differences turn us into enemies and destroy the company.<p>The general wisdom on picking cofounders is pick a behind-the-scenes guy if you&#x27;re a visionary, or make sure you&#x27;re comfortable as the behind-the-scenes guy if you&#x27;re partnering with a visionary. The problem I find (and one I&#x27;ve seen in a lot of cofounder groups) is that most of the people who want to start startups are visionaries.