We help you find a co-founder for your business - and it won't cost you a penny.
Businesses are far more likely to succeed if they start with the right team. That means having people with complementary skills and experience. We can't all be good at everything, and other people will actually enjoy the jobs we detest!
Friends and family are the first port of call but this isn't always a good idea. First off, most of them are already committed to their career, they have a mortgage and kids, they can't risk all that to join your hare-brained business idea. So it's likely that you would be choosing a co-founder from a very small pool of individuals. Are they really the best fit?
A potential problem with the friends and family route is that if things don't work out, things can get sticky. You probably know cases where friends and family have started a business together only for it to end in acrimony. It can work, but you must be objective: are they going to thrive in this business? Do they have complementary knowledge and skills? Do they have the same work ethic as me? Am I just inviting them to join me because I like them and I don't have any other options?
Business groups are another option. Bristol and Bath have a number of meetups aimed at ambitious small businesses. These can be great fun, but you'll meet people who are already in business, they are not about to jack it in to join your enterprise.
We're aiming to be a like a dating app, but for entrepreneurs rather than romance. The same principle applies: you have to kiss a lot of toads before you find your handsome prince! We will put you in contact with people we think might be a good fit for your business idea, then it's up to you to get together over a coffee and see what happens. At the very least you should have an interesting conversation with a like-minded person.
You might be looking for co-founders to work alongside you full time, or perhaps an active investor that meets with you once a month to help guide your business in the right direction.
Find-a-Founder is not an app, yet. It's a human process. We have only just started, so bear with us, don't expect instant results. This is our MVP (minimum viable product), which we are offering for free. If it works we'll refine the process, develop an app and roll the service out beyond Bristol and Bath. At some point we'll have to generate revenue, but for now, enjoy a 100% human experience, that's free!
Our service is also for those who already have a business running and need others to join them to take it to the next level, or simply to share the experience.
Bear in mind that we can't help you find employees, only people who will be shareholders and/or directors/partners in the business.
We too are looking for co-founders, so let us know if working on Find-a-Founder tickles your fancy.