Where can I find someone to date me?

Technical co-founders are hot properties.

Always have been.

Everybody needs one, everybody wants one and everybody is chasing them elusively.

I am frequently asked “Where can I find a tech cofounder?” at networking meetups.

Sometimes they ask about a CTO.

Or a programmer to work for free.

But the question always takes the same shape.

And I respond “What you’re asking is ‘how can I find a rich, hot, single girl willing to date me?'”

Things not to do:
1. Don’t accept the first pitch given to you. Or the second. Or the third.
2. Do your due diligence on your non-tech cofounder. He or she will probably do the same to you.
3. Find out what
4. Make sure that what you are getting is an equitable trade
5. Be aware of the risks
6. Do everything you can to avoid signing a non-compete – if you do have to sign one, put a very restrictive term limit on it
7. If you are signing away anything, make sure your getting something in return for it
8. If you sign something away with out pay, make sure you can get it back
9. If all they have is an idea, and jealously guard it, keep looking
10. Until there is something concrete, don’t sign an NDA
11. Work on an idea that you both came up with
12. If you must work on someone else’s idea, make sure it is one you can be excited about for a long time
13. When you are a cofounder, you aren’t just working for someone, you’re their partner, you have to be prepared to spend a lot of time with them