How Do You Convince Someone to Join Your Startup? - Dalton Caldwell | Summary and Q&A

June 27, 2025
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Y Combinator
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How Do You Convince Someone to Join Your Startup? - Dalton Caldwell

TL;DR

Before convincing others to join your startup, you must first fully commit to your idea and believe in its potential.

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Key Insights

  • 🔥 It is essential to be fully committed and convinced of your startup idea before trying to convince others to join or invest in it. Confidence in your idea will flow out to everyone else.
  • 💡 A good sign of a startup idea worth pursuing is when it becomes pervasive in your thoughts and keeps you up at night. If you can't get it out of your head, it may have the magnetism and power to keep you motivated.
  • 💪 Teams that deeply believe in and are convinced of their startup idea are more likely to overcome setbacks and challenges. Conviction and belief in the bigger purpose can help a startup survive financial difficulties, pivot, and retain team members.
  • 🚀 It is equally hard to succeed in a startup that you don't care about as it is in one that you do. Therefore, it is important to work on something you are excited about and passionate about, as it increases the chances of success.
  • 🌟 Excitement and enthusiasm about an idea can and should be developed over time. By starting a side project and experiencing enjoyment and fulfillment while working on it, you can discern if it is something worth pursuing as a business.
  • 👥 To convince others to join your startup, it is crucial to have a strong and authentic belief in the story and vision you are presenting. This conviction will be evident to potential team members, customers, and partners.
  • ✨ Positive feedback and recognition from the external world can help you take your side project or idea more seriously. This validation can increase your excitement and dedication to developing it further.
  • 💫 Choosing to pursue the more audacious and exciting idea over one that seems easier or more commercially viable has its merits. The enthusiasm and passion for the more exciting idea can increase the likelihood of achieving success in the long run.

Transcript

this is a super common question where they where someone wants to start a startup and they're like well how do I get a co-founder or how do I get my first employees and my advice is the following first you have to convince yourself if you're not fully committed or if you have grave doubts that your idea is any good or it's even worth trying how can... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: How important is it to believe in your startup idea before convincing others to join?

It is crucial to have unwavering belief in your startup idea before approaching potential co-founders or employees. People can sense if you lack confidence, and it becomes much harder to convince others to join you in such cases.

Q: Why is it recommended to work on something you're truly excited about, even if it seems less commercially viable?

Working on what genuinely excites you is essential because startups face numerous challenges, and only the belief in your idea will keep you motivated during tough times. Teams that lack passion often give up quickly when faced with setbacks, while the ones deeply convinced of their purpose can overcome any obstacle.

Q: Can you develop excitement for an idea over time, even if you're not initially enthusiastic about it?

Yes, it is possible to develop excitement for an idea over time. By working on it on the side and receiving positive feedback, you can gradually fall in love with the idea and become more enthusiastic about pursuing it as a startup. The key is to discern if working on it feels fun and enjoyable rather than like work.

Q: Why should entrepreneurs choose to pursue audacious ideas they're highly excited about?

Pursuing audacious ideas you're genuinely excited about increases the likelihood of success. It is equally challenging to succeed in a startup you don't care about compared to one you do, so focusing on what excites you gives you a higher chance of reaching your desired destination.

Summary & Key Takeaways

  • Fully committing to your startup idea and believing in its worth will make it easier to convince others to join you.

  • If you find yourself unable to sleep and constantly thinking about your idea, it's a good sign that you're onto something worth pursuing.

  • Working on something you're genuinely excited about and obsessed with increases your chances of overcoming setbacks and persevering.

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