| This is highly relevant for any high-level hire, regardless of whether it's a startup or not. In some ways, it's so much easier to bullshit now. LinkedIn definitely helps with this. Sometimes, the profiles with the most recommendations and glowing job descriptions are the most suspect to me. Having worked with a few people that would be considered distrustful, conniving, etc. by the people around them and seeing their wonderful LinkedIn profiles makes me wonder about most of the profiles. For people in the know, there's no gain in "exposing" the person unless they somehow cross paths and are asked an opinion. Even then, its a judgement call whether the truth needs to be said or not. At the end of the day, it looks like the basics don't change. You still need to do real due diligence with the effort relative to how much damage the person can do if it doesn't workout. The general business wisdom is that partnerships are bad and should not be done. I don't know why this seems to have changed for tech startups. I believe as in marriage, one should go into it with the possibility that it will fall apart. Knowing this possibility for a business partnership, two things should be considered. One, am I ok with this happening? Two, what are all the legal and contractual things I can do to get through it if it does happen. If you are not ok with it, then don't partner up. If you are OK with all going to crap since the perceived gain is so much higher, then by all means put together the best partnership agreement that you can that accounts for most of the possible scenarios. |