Test 29 · Founders

Co-founder Check

Co-founders rarely split over the big fight. It’s the small ones nobody had.

LiveBoth founders

Take Co-founder Check

This test is built for both co-founders to answer separately and compare. Co-founder mode is coming; for now you answer on your own.

Tell me when co-founder mode is live

The short answer

Co-founder Check is a free self-test for founders with a co-founder. Sixteen questions cover roles, money and equity, pace, decision rights and the long-term plan. You see where you think you agree, where you’re not sure, and one conversation to have for each gap. It’s built for both founders; until co-founder mode arrives, you answer alone.

Drafted with AI for Jay Sampat, Chief Mirror Holder · coach review pending

Who it’s for
Co-founders who keep stepping around the same disagreement in the stand-up.
What you get
An alignment score, where you think you agree, where you’re not sure, and one conversation to have for each gap.

The disagreement you both keep stepping around in the stand-up.

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I say what I really think about a plan, even to someone senior.

A question from The 42 Test that touches this topic.

Co-founder Check

Why do co-founders fall out?

Rarely over the big fight. It’s usually the small ones nobody had: who owns hiring, whether the equity split still feels fair, how many hours each of you expects to give, whether you’d sell. Left unsaid, each becomes a quiet frustration, and they add up.

Take Co-founder Check: sixteen questions, about five minutes. Answer on your own, honestly.

What does the test look at?

Five areas, three or four questions each:

  • Roles. Whether you’d describe each other’s jobs the same way.
  • Money and equity. Pay, the split, and what happens if one of you leaves.
  • Pace. How much time and how much growth each of you expects.
  • Decision rights. Who has the final say, and whether decisions stay made.
  • The long-term plan. The size of company you want, and whether you’d sell.

What do I get at the end?

An alignment score out of 100, where you’re not sure (the two least certain areas, each with one conversation to have) and where you think you agree (the two most certain, each with a quick way to check). The bands are “Mostly aligned” (70 and above), “Some open questions” (40 to 69) and “Lots left unsaid” (below 40).

Co-founder Check is built for both founders to answer separately and compare. Co-founder mode is coming. For now, you answer alone.

How is it worked out?

Each answer runs from 1 (never) to 5 (always). Six of the sixteen questions describe something you’ve settled, such as “We’ve agreed who has the final say when we disagree”, and are flipped before scoring. Each area’s average shows how unsure you are there; the overall average becomes the score.

The questions, areas, bands and advice are a draft written with AI and are waiting for a coach’s review. They’re not legal or financial advice; for equity paperwork, talk to a lawyer.

What should I read or take next?

Read what causes co-founder conflict, and how to avoid it for how to have the conversations. When a conversation is hard, Hard Conversations shows your style. Every tool for this stage is on the Founders page.

Drafted with AI · coach review pending

Questions people ask

How do you know if you and your co-founder are aligned?
Ask the questions you’ve been avoiding, separately, then compare: who owns what, what you each need to earn, how fast you want to grow, who breaks a tie, and whether you’d sell. Most splits come from small things nobody said, not one big fight.
Can my co-founder take it too?
That’s what the test is built for, and co-founder mode is coming: you’ll both answer separately and see where you differ. For now, you answer alone and see where you’re not sure.
How is the result worked out?
Each answer runs from 1 (never) to 5 (always). Six questions describe something you’ve settled and are flipped, so every answer measures how unsure you are. The average becomes an alignment score from 0 to 100; the two least certain areas are where you’re not sure, and the two most certain are where you think you agree.
Is Co-founder Check free, and who sees my answers?
It’s free with no sign-up. Your answers and result stay in your browser; Coach42 never sees them, and nor does your co-founder.

More tests for founders

  1. 25Two Weeks AwayLiveFounders · What breaks if you disappear for a fortnight
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  3. 27The First Ten HiresLiveFounders · The culture your hiring habits are creating
  4. 28Founder LoadLiveFounders · How heavy your load is: decisions, hours, energy
  5. 30Board-ReadyLiveFounders · How ready you are to work with a board

Founders: all six tests and posts

From the Question Library

  1. How do you build a company culture as a founder?Founders · 9 min read
  2. How do you make your business run without you?Founders · 9 min read
  3. How do you run a startup board meeting?Founders · 10 min read

I tell people the hard thing within a week, not at review time.

Drafted with AI · coach review pending