What We Look for in Founders

Paul Graham’s essay What We Look for in Founders identifies five essential qualities Y Combinator seeks.

The Five Qualities

1. Determination

The most crucial trait. Founders need resilience to overcome inevitable obstacles. Persistence makes founders unstoppable partners.

2. Flexibility

Equally important as determination. “You need to be able to modify your dreams on the fly.” Pivot through multiple ideas before finding success.

3. Imagination

The form of intelligence that matters most involves generating unconventional ideas. “Most good ideas seem bad initially.” Airbnb represents this perfectly—a concept that seemed implausible, yet succeeded spectacularly.

4. Naughtiness

Successful founders possess a “piratical gleam” and delight in circumventing rules, though not the important ones. They prioritize results over propriety.

5. Friendship

Strong founder relationships prove essential. Startups strain partnerships severely, so founders must genuinely like and understand each other.

The Balance

Determination and flexibility seem contradictory, but both are essential. Be determined about the destination, flexible about the route.

My Takeaway

These qualities can be developed. Work on your determination, stay flexible, cultivate imagination, maintain your piratical spirit, and choose your cofounders wisely.

Which quality do you need to work on most? I’d love to hear at persdre@gmail.com.