I know Buffet gets a lot of fair criticism, but one of the things he often said was he liked businesses that would work regardless of whether the person at the helm was great or not. He would pick great businesses over great founders. Bonus if you can tick both boxes.

Probably doesn’t work so well as a principle in startup world, but it is a useful counterbalance for the above mentality of favouring people… if putting too much weight on someone being charismatic & energetic.

In comparison to a project with already significant traction and already on a growth trajectory.

The influence of the founder is far less of importance in the success of the startup, when it’s solving customers problems efficiently.