How to Choose a Co-Founder

Score candidates on outcomes, not chemistry alone

• Have they shipped under uncertainty? Ask for specific projects, conflicts resolved, and references.
• Do they own a domain you should not fake (sales, product, finance, regulation)?
• Under stress, do they default to transparency or avoidance?

Align on the boring commitments

• Time allocation per week for the next 12 months.
• Cash salary expectations (even if zero now, spell runway tolerance).
• Geography and travel tolerance for Visayas–Metro Manila trips.

Equity and governance before the logo

Use a vesting schedule tied to milestones or time—aligned with PH norms your counsel recommends. Spell decision rights for fundraising, hiring thresholds, and founder exit scenarios.

Write IP assignment and side-project boundaries early; accelerators and investors will ask.

Trial projects beat endless coffee chats

Run a 30-day scoped initiative: ship a pilot metric, close two discovery calls, or deliver a technical spike. Observe pace, communication, and ownership when something breaks.