[mkoble11]

completely agree on learning to code. i have this conversation all the time with non technical entrepreneurs. it's about controlling your destiny. you have more of that when you can at least build an MVP. these days, its easier than ever - you just have to be naturally curious.

[sanderjd]

If your goal is to be able to build something without needing a technical cofounder, then definitely, being able to do both sides of the business is invaluable. But if your goal is to focus on the business side and find someone you can trust to lead technology, then I think you're better off spending that learning-to-code time sharpening your business tools.

[VLM]

Make sure your partner knows it up front.

This will sound like a goofy analogy but my wife and I have been together for twenty years and its more important that we agree on the theory of boundaries than on the actual boundaries themselves. Although when we cooperate by having at least a minimal understanding of each other, things do go much better than working separately. Thinking back on observations of divorced people, the signals started very early with arguments about the very concept of boys night out or the only correct way (LOL) to organize household finances. May have been a divorce immediately after someone slept with someone else, or whatever, but the problem didn't initiate when the third party magically appeared in bed one night.

Anyway the analogy is obviously two founders will go further the more they can productively cooperate, but disaster is absolutely certain if they can't even agree on what level to cooperate at. And inflexibility there is going to limit the possible matching talent pool.