Co-Found or Go It Alone?
The issue of whether you should launch your startup alone or with a co-founder comes up from time-to-time, most recently by Kevin Dick and David Lambert of Right Side Capital, the seed investment fund based in San Francisco. At a reception held during their visit to Seattle last month, Dick and Lambert indicated that a startup with only one founder may indicate the there is something wrong with the founder or that the founder is incapable of building a team. This sentiment was subsequently repeated in a blog post by William Carleton and previously on OnStartups.com. I respectfully, but strongly, disagree with all three. Here’s why: Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen. You know…
What Entrepreneurs Can Learn From the Amish
According to Erik Wesner’s new book, Success Made Simple: An Inside Look at Why Amish Businesses Thrive, over 95% of Amish businesses are around five years after startup. That’s compared to 80% for nationwide entrepreneurship program alumni and the nationwide average of 50%. So what is it that the Amish are doing right? Well, the “secrets” of their success aren’t really all that surprising: 1. Hard work and long hours; 2. Strong faith and values; 3. Family commitment to the business; 4. Humble leadership; and 5. Treating the customers well and offering them good value. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a startup, or a high growth company, those sound like values we can all stand…
Tolis Dimopoulos is the founder and managing attorney of Sophos Law, a Seattle based small boutique law firm serving technology, socially conscious, and emerging growth companies. Sophos Law provides part time outsourced general counsel services, as well as seed stage legal and business counseling services.
