In addition to relentlessly resourceful, you want a tough and a calm cofounder.

If you don't need it yourself, and you're building something that someone else needs, realize you're at a big disadvantage.

A lot of people treat choosing their cofounder with even less importance than they put on hiring. Don't do this.

The thirteenth search engine- and without all the features of a web portal, most people thought that was pointless.

If someone is difficult to talk to, if someone cannot communicate clearly, it's a real problem in terms of their likelihood to work out.

You also want to fire people who a) create office politics, and b) who are persistently negative.

Losing focus is another way that founders get off track.