You Don't Need a Co-Founder (Anymore)
Mike Smith
Spicy Level
The Take
The YC advice to always have a co-founder was valid when one person couldn't build a product alone. AI changed that. Solo founders with AI tools ship faster than co-founder teams with coordination overhead.
+Why I'm Right
AI handles the skill gaps co-founders used to fill
Co-founder conflicts kill more startups than solo burnout
Decision speed is inversely proportional to founder count
The best recent bootstrapped successes are increasingly solo
?The Counter-Argument
“Emotional support, accountability, and complementary skills still matter. AI can code but can't be your thought partner at 2am when everything is breaking. The loneliness tax is real.”
Agree? Disagree? Tell me.
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