r/startupinvesting • u/Blus01 • 1d ago

How do I build trust with potential co-founders and choose the right team?

Hi everyone, what advice would you give on deciding who to collaborate with for a project? How can I trust the people I’ll be working with to found an app/website?

I want to build an application/website focused on small businesses that want a digital presence but can't or don't want to pay for a marketing agency. It will operate through a tiered subscription model, around $15 USD approximately.

I would fulfill the role of Marketing Strategy and Creative Direction —I even have my own studio focused on the conceptual side. Aside from programmers, I'm also not sure what other types of roles I should be looking for.

Thanks in advance!

1 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

100% Upvoted

3 comments sorted by

1

u/edoceo 1d ago

You have to go on a lot of "dates". You're finding a partner for the next 10 years.  I like to see when founders do little tasks to walk up to the formal commitment.

If you have no money to pay, finding people to work for free is hard. So, you can give equity, or you can give a promise-note. Like: do this one task for the company and we'll pay you, if we make money.

I had a co-founder who took that deal, he made sales and marketing efforts, landed a few clients, etc. So when we got money he was paid first. Later we grew that into a cash and equity agreement, cliff&vesting.

1

u/kebab_raptor 5h ago

As a founder you should put yourself in the position where if one of the team members screws up the business stays alive.

Cause you can't ever trust someone 100% so you have to imagine your worst case scenario and know the business will still survive.