Thank you to Pablo Fernandez of Flexpoint Tech for creating these notes. To contribute to the TWiST PodNotes archive email us.

Top Insights

• Co-founders should be aligned on mission, values, roles, work styles, feedback styles.
• Be professional from the very beginning, it's easier to maintain than to change.
• Match your communications to the size of your team.
• Document processes, answers, checklists, sales prospects, etc. with the appropriate tools.
• Keep investors up to date.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwhY5NPU9R4

Table of Contents

Guests

Samantha August: LAUNCH President

Ashley Whitehurst: LAUNCH Managing Director

Co-founder Alignment

• Co-founders should agree on:
  • Mission and values.
  • Roles: CEO, CTO, who is in charge of what.
• Understand each others communication style:
  • Introversion vs extroversion.
  • Feedback styles.
  • Work styles.
• Part of the job of the executive team is to be candid and say when something is not good.
  • Discuss how you are going to handle things going wrong.
  • How to deal with the nice under-performer and the jerk over-performer.
  • How they'll fire people.
• Make sure that your spouse/SO understands and buys into the startup.
  • The risks.
  • The sacrifices, including how long it'll take.

If you have 3 co-founders and they are married, you have 6 co-founders, 3 of which are not at the office every day. — Jason Calacanis.

Setting the Tone with your Team