My cofounder tells me I am guilty if I don't stick with him keep building, even if it is something else. He quit his job to join me, and I am wasting his years of life if I quit.
I am wondering if I am being a bad person.
I am wondering if I am being a bad person.
He sounds like he is being a bad person if he's keeping you there against your will or using guilt as a motivator.
You are vague about what your startup is or what the issue is preventing your launch. If it's ready, just launch it on zero budget and see what happens. If you need more money it isn't ready. Can it stay in "zombie mode" without you working on it actively? Why or why not?
But the business we are in require millions of dollars to launch (after the code is ready). Without that much of money, the product provides 0 value.
--- He can hire someone to replace you if he thinks it can succeed. Or continue to work on it on his own without you. >> You are spot on. I am not stopping him from doing that. This makes me feel much better. Thanks.
>> You are spot on. I am not stopping him from doing that. This makes me feel much better. Thanks.
If you want to go this route, letting them move on while you do something else, you have a major consideration. You own a giant chunk, maybe even a majority, of the equity. That can make it hard for them to be motivated, hard for them to make legal decisions, hard to get investments, etc. Consider selling (or giving if you really think it is worthless) enough to the partner you are leaving behind so that they can succeed. Or just make it easy to dilute you (I assume it's a tax question which is better).
If you do, feel free to make it fair to you as well. Maybe you get to use some code in another project in a dual-use situation? Maybe your cofounder vests the chance to buy your stock over a few years so he doesn't just cut you out and then pocket everything as it dissolves? Retain a fair amount of equity for the work you already did.
The fact that he tries to make you feel guilty is a huge red flag. Do you really want to work with that kind of person in the long term?
But I know say if I take a break of say 1-2 years I can start a new startup, whether I have a family or not. I might even do some side projects even before then and see how it goes.
I am wondering if he says that out of his self interest or for me.