Making your customers your co-founders
People often think I’m crazy when I say I’m a solo founder.
At first, I had some rookie invincibility complex that made me think I could do anything by myself. Lately, however, the solitude and pressure of running a company solo was getting to me.
Last night, that all changed.
While having dinner with one of our most loyal customers, I decided to open up. I shared with her everything I was thinking about our business: the issues, vision and product roadmap.
To my surprise, she was delighted to discuss these topics. For her, our product solved a big pain point in her life, and she felt genuinely honored to share her input.
On the walk home, I felt euphoric, not just from her enthusiasm about our product, but also from the sense of teamwork that I had been craving for so long.
Most of venture-backed startup wisdom says you must have a cofounder to build a business.
If, like me, you're building a non-venture business on your own terms, recruiting smart co-founders early on will likely be impossible and almost certainly unaffordable.
Instead, build something by yourself that a few customers love. Involve them in every business decision, lean on them for moral support, and open up to them about your deepest fears and wildest dreams.
Then, when people ask you who you work with, just say, I’ve made my customers my co-founders. I don’t think that's crazy at all.
Are you considering starting a company but worried about not having a co-founder?
For the other solo-founders out there, how have you dealt with the challenge of not having a traditional co-founder?
Leave a comment below or shoot me a note, I’d love to discuss!