“One shall chase a thousand, two shall chase ten thousand” (Bible)
Daunting projects, and innovative ideas usually require more than one mind to establish. While the seed of an idea can come in isolation, its growth into a mature fruit typically needs more than one person. There's a different flavor when two people work together to tackle a task. As interdependent beings, we need each other to survive.
Ideas are meant to be shared with others, not just meditated on. However, we often fear sharing ideas because they might be talked down on, laughed at, or stolen. These concerns are valid, but they shouldn't stop us from seeking out the right people.
The person you need to make your next big idea a success is waiting for you to share it.
A good team or partner usually has the following qualities:
Believes in your vision and is intrigued by it
L-R Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs (Apple Cofounders)
A prime example of a co-founder who believed in their partner's vision and was intrigued by it is Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, co-founders of Apple Inc. When they first met, Wozniak was working at Hewlett-Packard (HP) while Jobs was a college dropout with a vision of bringing personal computing to the masses. Despite Wozniak's secure job at HP, he was captivated by Jobs' vision of making computers accessible to ordinary people. Jobs' enthusiasm and passion for revolutionizing the computing industry resonated deeply with Wozniak, inspiring him to leave his stable job and join forces with Jobs to pursue their shared dream.
This collaboration laid the foundation for what would become one of the most innovative and successful companies in history.
Intelligent enough to make their input
L-R Larry Page and Sergey Brin (Google Cofounders)
Larry Page and Sergey Brin met at Stanford University while pursuing their Ph.D. degrees in computer science. What made their partnership successful was their ability to complement each other's intelligence and make valuable inputs.
Page was known for his innovative ideas and vision for the future of search technology. He possessed a deep understanding of the mathematical algorithms behind web search while Brin brought his expertise in data mining, data analysis, and machine learning to the table.
Their ability to leverage each other's intelligence and make valuable inputs not only propelled Google to become the world's leading search engine but also laid the foundation for numerous groundbreaking products and services that have transformed the way we interact with information online.
Passionate enough to put in the effort to make it work
L-R Jeff Bezos and Mackenzie Scott (Amazon Co-founders)
Co-founder Jeff Bezos and his initial team, were passionate about revolutionizing the way people shop online. They worked tirelessly, often for 12 hours a day, 7 days a week, to build Amazon from the ground up. Mackenzie Scott did quit her job also to follow Jeff’s vision. Today, Amazon is one of the world's most valuable companies, and its early days of hard work and perseverance are a testament to the power of passion and effort in making a startup successful. This quality is essential when building something new with anyone, as it requires hard work.
Will like or love something about you/ friendship
L-R Nathan Blecharzyk, Joe Gebbia, Brian Chesky (Airbnb Cofounders)
Airbnb co-founders Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia were roommates and close friends who shared a passion for design and entrepreneurship. Their friendship helped them navigate the early days of Airbnb, from hosting their first guests to scaling the platform globally.
Many companies were started by University roomates, coursemates, childhood friends etc. When working on grand ideas, love between partners must be present to keep us through all the tests and trials which are sure to come!
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