What We Look for in Founders

Determination is the most crucial trait in startup founders, surpassing intelligence once you're above a certain threshold. It's about persisting through obstacles without getting demoralized. Bill Clerico and Rich Aberman of WePay exemplify this with their relentless pursuit in the face of bureaucratic resistance.

Flexibility is equally important. Stubbornly clinging to your initial dream isn't advisable; the startup landscape demands the ability to adapt your goals. Daniel Gross of Greplin embodies this quality, rapidly pivoting from one idea to another until finding success.

Imagination is the type of intelligence that matters most. The ability to generate novel ideas that initially seem implausible is key, as the most promising startup ideas often appear questionable at first. Airbnb's concept, which we initially doubted, proved to be just the right kind of crazy.

Naughtiness is a subtle yet significant characteristic. The most successful founders often display a mischievous tendency to bend rules, not in a harmful way, but creatively to their advantage. This trait might be inherent in those with a high level of imagination.

Friendship among founders is critical. It's rare for a startup to succeed with a lone founder; most successful ventures have two or three founders with a robust relationship. They must not only get along but also work effectively together. Emmett Shear and Justin Kan of Justin.tv are prime examples of friends who have maintained a strong partnership throughout their startup journey.

The original article: https://paulgraham.com/founders.html