Prioritizing a candidate's skills ('capacity') over their fit with the team ('chemistry') is a mistake. To scale culture successfully, focus on hiring people who will get along with their colleagues. The ability to collaborate and integrate is more critical for long-term success than a perfect resume.

Co-founding a business is often harder than a marriage, yet receives far less diligence. The probability of two individuals maintaining perfect alignment on effort, finances, and vision over many years is incredibly low, making solo ventures statistically safer.

The ideal founder archetype starts with deep technical expertise and product sense. They then develop exceptional business and commercial acumen over time, a rarer and more powerful combination than a non-technical founder learning the product.

The ideal early startup employee has an extreme bias for action and high agency. They identify problems and execute solutions without needing approvals, and they aren't afraid to fail. This contrasts sharply with candidates from structured environments like consulting, who are often more calculated and risk-averse.

Hiring for "cultural fit" can lead to homogenous teams and groupthink. Instead, leaders should seek a "cultural complement"—candidates who align with core values but bring different perspectives and experiences, creating a richer and more innovative team alchemy.

Many viable products fail not because they are bad, but because the introverted creator cannot sell or network. The solution isn't to change their personality but to find a co-founder who excels at sales, fundraising, and client relations, creating an essential alchemy of talent.

A rising tide lifts all boats. The true test of a founder partnership emerges during downturns. Diligence should focus on teasing out traits like adaptability, humility, and accountability, which predict how a founder will react when plans inevitably go awry.