I tried 3 cofounding styles: with a long-time friend, with a stranger, and solo. Guess which one worked? It’s not what you expect. Finding a cofounder is one of the most important—and personal—decisions you’ll make as a founder. It’s not just about compatibility. It’s about alignment, timing, and knowing what you actually value. Along my own cofounder search, I ran into a bunch of advice that didn’t hold up in my personal experience. Here are 3 cofounder myths I’ve lived through—and what I learned from each: --- 1/ MYTH: You need a long history together. LESSON: Alignment > history. Trust is built in the doing. The narrative goes: if you haven’t known them for years, it’ll never work. But that’s not how it played out for me. I explored ideas with a long-time friend. It didn’t work out. I met my current cofounder as a total stranger in an industry meetup. That one did work out. → We aligned quickly on how we work → We had honest conversations early → We earned trust through the build, not before it --- 2/ MYTH: A cofounder breakup hurts your chances moving forward. LESSON: A breakup can be a signal of maturity—if you’re honest about the learning. I used to worry this would be a red flag to investors or future teammates. In reality, it became a strength. → I approached my second search with way more clarity → I knew what I needed—and what I couldn’t compromise on → I showed up again—resilient and ready Some investors even told me how much they respected the grit to try again. --- 3/ MYTH: You should avoid a 50-50 equity split. LESSON: 50/50 could work if there’s mutual trust, respect for each other’s lanes, and a shared commitment Some people argue that uneven splits—like 51/49—are useful for breaking ties. Others structure their cofounding relationships with even more lopsided ownership, like 80/20. For me, it didn't feel like a true partnership. If I held the higher end, I’d constantly worry: → Does my cofounder feel real ownership? → Are they truly incentivized to stay in it for the long haul? With 50/50, I’ve never had that doubt. → We both feel fully responsible for the outcome → And when decisions need to be made, we’re clear on who owns what Equal ownership hasn’t created conflict—it’s created clarity. --- TAKEAWAY Your cofounder journey won’t look like anyone else’s. There’s no perfect playbook—only what aligns with how you want to build. View original post on LinkedIn.