The importance of co-founders
Yesterday I was reflecting on the inclusion of Launch Pad in this NYTimes article.
Meanwhile, LaunchPad — a k a LaunchPadNola — which was started by Chris Schultz, offers co-working space and business classes in New Orleans. It has 43 tenants today.
As much as it’s great to be recognized, it does piss me off that it says I started Launch Pad. I didn’t. I co-founded it. With Barre Tanguis and Will Donaldson.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned as an entrepreneur is not to go it alone. It’s too lonely of a game to try to start a company yourself. And there is evidence that shows that having co-founders is much more likely to lead to business success. As a serial entrepreneur, I’ve embraced the fact that I like to have different things going on, its what gets me fired up, and I’ve been able to pull my passions together under Voodoo Ventures. I very deliberately have made a decision that unless I have a strong partner or co-founder on a project, I won’t do it. It is the only way I scale.
I’m proud of my partnerships and acknowledge the fact that my endeavors wouldn’t be where they are without them.
Flatsourcing — Oleg Kurnosov, Timur Vafin, Alex Mamaev, Peter Bodenheimer
Launch Pad — Barre Tanguis & Will Donaldson
TribeCon — Tiffany Starnes
Even my recent investment in Jackson Square Group is reflective of this. Patrick Comer brought me on as a co-founder, alongside his brother Walton Comer.
It took me a while to get to this point. Having a partner can be hard. One of the most serious strains on a personal relationship I’ve ever had came when I faced challenges with my partner and best friend in the first company I ever started.
But, reflecting on my career, the successes have come when I have a partner-in-crime, someone deep in the blood and the mud with me. And I’m grateful in all my ventures that I great co-founders and partners right now.