Why the Founder Is the Key Factor in a Startup’s Success

A startup’s success isn’t just about a fortunate combination of factors. It’s not only about an innovative idea, technical execution, good timing, or a strong value proposition. One of the key elements influencing the outcome is the founder — the person who launches the project, guides its growth, and makes tough decisions.

My own experience working with startups, including projects that never saw the light of day, has shown me that certain “core settings” in a founder are essential for success.

The strength of each of these skills either increases a startup’s chances or diminishes them. The good news is that these skills can be developed. My experience has made it clear: even a promising idea is at risk of failure if the founder lacks these qualities.

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Failure Story: How a Founder Turned a Promising Startup into a Prolonged Mess

A few years ago, we started working with a founder at the earliest stage of their startup. They had an idea, and we helped turn it into design and interface. But even during the MVP phase, warning signs began to appear. Instead of focusing on the minimum viable functionality, the client insisted on adding more and more features, turning the MVP into an overloaded product.

Our recommendations to stay focused on core elements and test key hypotheses were ignored. The founder’s approach was: “I pay — you build.” After completing the design, the client disappeared for a year. When they returned, we discussed front-end development and started working, but history repeated itself: after completing the front end, they vanished again for nine months.

We suggested a reality check: reassess the market, competitors, and value proposition, but the founder insisted on continuing without analysis. The outcome was predictable — the project never launched, and communication ended with a complete breakdown.

What Qualities a Founder Needs to Lead a Product to Success

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1. Obsession and Determination

A founder who sees their project not just as a job but as their life’s work. This is someone ready to dedicate maximum time and energy, never backing down from challenges.

“I worked with a founder who, despite seven months of failed tests, kept trying and eventually found product-market fit.”

2. Resilience and Stress Resistance

The ability to withstand high pressure, crises, and the “valleys of death.” A founder doesn’t shift responsibility onto others but takes it on and acts.

3. Vision and Inspiration

The skill to envision the future of the product and inspire the team, investors, and partners, building a strong network around them.

4. Speed and Flexibility

A focus on fast, low-cost experiments, constant hypothesis testing, and avoiding overly complex processes.

“One founder insisted on building a large, complex product — like a ‘spaceship’ — from the start. As a result, development dragged on for years, and the product’s value to customers remained unclear. It never launched.”

5. Data-Driven Decision Making

A founder who measures every step, makes decisions based on data rather than intuition, and understands that the perfect moment for monetization will never come.

“In one project, we saved a founder months of work by conducting timely market analysis. It helped them discard an unsuitable hypothesis early on.”

6. Communication

The ability to explain complex things simply, clearly articulate thoughts, and stay open to feedback, using it as a tool for growth. Open and honest communication is the foundation of success.

7. Continuous Learning

A founder who deeply understands their market and continuously learns has a greater chance of success.

“I saw a founder who initially knew little about their industry transform into an expert through learning and research, ultimately building a successful product.”

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Why I No Longer Take on Clients Without These Criteria (and Why You Shouldn’t Either)

“Success teaches us nothing. Failure does.”

After experiencing a failed project, I completely rethought my approach to choosing clients. Now, every potential partner goes through a kind of “qualification” based on several criteria:

1. Willingness to Partner, Not Just “I Pay — You Build.”‍

I look for those who value teamwork, are open to feedback, and are ready to share their ideas and concerns.

2. Clear Vision and Flexibility.

A client should understand what problems their product solves and be willing to adapt if reality demands change.

3. Focus on Results, Not Endless Processes.

I ask direct questions: “How will you make decisions? What metrics matter to you? What are your main goals right now, and what’s stopping you from achieving them?”

4. Industry Knowledge.

It’s important to me that a founder knows (or at least strives to know) their market, competitors, audience, and their pain points, rather than building a strategy based on guesses.

4. Perseverance and Willingness to Learn.

Launching a product is a marathon. If a client expects “quick success” without being ready to overcome challenges, we won’t work well together. Building a product is a long game, and achieving incredible results in a month is just an empty slogan from ads.

Now I conduct strategic sessions with clients even before starting work to understand their motivation, expectations, and ability to collaborate. This approach not only saves time but also helps build long-term relationships and create products that truly matter.

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Don’t Look for the Perfect Idea — Look for a Strong Founder: How to Assess and What to Ask

For Agencies:

Don’t focus solely on the project. Evaluate the person behind it. Ask questions that reveal their approach:

• What matters more to you: speed or quality?
• How have you handled failures?
• Who is your ideal customer and why?

For Founders:

Develop key skills:

• Flexibility — adapt to the market.
• Perseverance — keep moving forward despite challenges.
• Leadership — inspire and lead your team.

By the way, many people find it hard to identify their strengths. There’s a great tool for that — the Gallup CliftonStrengths test, designed to assess and uncover your personal strengths.

That’s it.

Don’t wait for perfect conditions — build them yourself.

If you’re a founder looking for a strong partner to help you reach your point B — where your product succeeds and scales — let’s talk.

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