A startup founder told me recently:
“There are times when I get lazy and coast. You know, startup life is so hard. But that’s when I see my cofounder showing up on the shared Figma board at 1am, and committing a code change at 2am. That’s a total kick-butt moment for me. He makes me want to work harder and put in 120%.”
The point is not that cofounders must compete on the game of who sleeps less (startup is a marathon not a sprint, and a sustainable work/life balance is super important.) The point is, a great cofounder dynamic is when one person makes the other person want to become a better cofounder and work harder, and vice versa. Conversely, if you think the other person doesn’t seem to care as much, and wonder why you should be the only person who puts in 120%, you know you don’t have the right person as a cofounder.