Nick Perry identifies four decisions that make or break founders: pick a co-founder who stays calm under pressure, not the flashiest résumé. Choose a problem that fits your edge, not just an exciting idea. Build where your customers are, not in investor cities. And limit yourself to one or two mentors who've already built what you're building, to avoid analysis paralysis.
You have 4 decisions to make as a founder, and you can't get one wrong. Number 1 is who you build with. Pick a co-founder who stays calm when the runway drops, not the best resume, because resumes don't show who cracks. Number 2 is the problem you choose. Most founders chase what sounds exciting instead of what matches their edge, because passion doesn't pay bills. Number 3 is where you build. Founders chase cities full of investors, Instead of where customers live, because investors write checks, but customers keep you alive. But the last is who you listen to. And it kills more startups than the rest, because the founder who takes advice from 6 mentors and 4 investors ends up with 12 opinions and zero execution. Pick 1 or 2 people who've built what you're building and stop asking everyone else. Follow for more if you're building something.
