Yes, You Should Probably Have a Cofounder

There’s a persistent startup narrative that says the most successful companies are started by single founders. People think that solo founders are more decisive, are allowed to be more visionary because they don’t have to share a vision, and are not constantly dealing with compromise. Interestingly, Harvard Business School faculty emphasize that the purpose of a cofounder is to bring complementary partnership, expertise, or experience, which suggests the benefit is conditional, not absolute

After running LivePlan for years with my husband, Noah Parsons, my opinion is simple: most founders are better off with a cofounder, as long as it’s the right one.

Noah and I could not be more different. He’s technical, process-driven, and deeply analytical. I’m focused on sales, marketing, and being the voice and face of the company. I’m an extrovert and an optimist; he’s an introvert with a healthy dose of skepticism. I see the glass as half full. He sees it as half empty.

And that difference has been one of LivePlan’s greatest strengths.

Harvard Business School research shows that founding teams with complementary skills consistently outperform solo founders in scaling a business, navigating uncertainty, and making high-quality decisions. The keyword there is complementary. You don’t want a clone. The whole point is bringing in someone who sees what you miss. Your yin to their yang, so to speak.

Startups are a nonstop series of bets that feel very stressful. Solo founders can skew too far in one direction — either taking too many risks fueled by founder optimism or moving too cautiously out of fear. A strong cofounder relationship creates built-in tension that improves outcomes.

At LivePlan, optimism is balanced by caution. Big ideas are pressure-tested. Risk is debated, not blindly embraced or avoided. We’re not afraid to disagree. In fact, we expect it. Challenging each other forces us to really see the other side, and that’s where better decisions come from. We respect the different strengths and weaknesses we each bring — but even more than that, we respect them because we know the other brings things we simply don’t have.

It's Not Just Strategy — It's Survival

This idea is echoed in Harvard Business Review, which has challenged the myth that every great startup comes from a lone visionary. HBR points out that while solo founders can succeed, founding teams are often better equipped to handle complexity — especially as companies grow. More perspectives mean better problem framing, fewer blind spots, and stronger execution.

I also think that bringing on the right co-founder that compliments you helps set the stage when you hire your executive team. You really understand and crave people with different experiences and backgrounds to continue filling in the gaps.

There’s also a human factor: entrepreneurship is emotionally brutal. CEOs make hundreds of high-stakes decisions.  But these decisions are better when made with the perspective of your co-founder. If they disagree with you, why? Are they thinking about different hurdles or opportunities that you had not thought of?

The Right Partner Changes Everything

The right cofounder can also bring emotional resilience, which every startup founder needs. Starting and running a business is stressful, and being able to lean on someone through tough times or tough decisions can be a lifesaver. The right cofounder will understand the tradeoffs without needing context. Someone you trust, and listen to who can say, “You’re wrong,” or “You’re right, but not yet.”

Of course, having a cofounder just to say you have one is a terrible idea. A misaligned partnership can slow a company down or tear it apart. I’m sure you have heard the saying that your relationship with your co-founder is like a (platonic) marriage. That’s why startup researchers often emphasize that alignment on values, trust, and long-term goals matters far more than matching personalities or equal skill sets. But when it works, it really works.

LivePlan would not be the company it is today without the balance Noah and I bring to the business. Our differences didn’t dilute the vision — they strengthened it. Together, we’ve made better decisions, avoided costly mistakes, and built a more durable company than either of us could have alone.

So no, you don’t have to have a cofounder. But if you find someone who challenges you, complements you, and keeps you honest, choosing to build alone may actually be the riskier move.