WordPress is just about entirely a distributed company, with employees all over the world...  It doesn't work for everyone, but clearly works for 37s and WP.<p>On the other front, it sounds like you care more about your control/ego than you do about the success of your product/company.  That's a bad sign, I think.  Success is elusive enough.  Note: I'm not saying you should take the guy on as a co-founder.  But your reasons SHOULD be "I don't know him well enough and he's far away" (both surmountable)...  Not, "I can't share my PRECIOUS!" :-)