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Ben Horowitz, a legendary entrepreneur and investor, lays down a critical piece of advice for building a successful company: the ideal founding team is made up of two key players—an inventor and an entrepreneur. Why? Because each brings a unique set of skills that, when combined, create the perfect storm for a successful startup.
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The Inventor: Building a Product 10x Better
According to Horowitz, the first piece of the puzzle is the inventor. This person is responsible for building something remarkable—creating a product that's not just slightly better, but 10 times better than anything currently on the market. This level of innovation is what sets truly transformative companies apart. The inventor’s role is to solve a problem in a groundbreaking way, ensuring the product is leaps ahead of any competitor.
The Entrepreneur: Taking the Market
On the other side of the equation is the entrepreneur, the person whose job it is to take the market by storm. Horowitz compares this role to his own experience, where he partnered with Mark Andreessen. Andreessen, the inventor behind the web browser, had the technological brilliance, while Horowitz was the entrepreneur who understood how to scale the business and take on competitors. The entrepreneur's mission is to strategize, grow the business, and outmaneuver competitors.
Why Balance is Key
Horowitz emphasizes the importance of balance. While one founder should be a world-class inventor, and the other a market-savvy entrepreneur, it’s even better when both individuals understand each other’s roles. In his partnership with Andreessen, Horowitz had a background in computer science, which allowed him to understand innovation and drive continuous improvement. Similarly, Andreessen, despite being an inventor, had a deep understanding of business and competition.
This cross-knowledge allowed them to complement each other perfectly, making them a formidable founding team. Even if the two founders specialize in different areas, having a solid understanding of each other's strengths helps the company navigate the complex challenges that come with building a business.
Examples of Teams with Complementary Skills
While many successful companies are led by famous duos like Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak or Larry Page and Sergey Brin, there are plenty of other examples that embody the same dynamic.
One such example is Mathilde Collin and Laurent Perrin, co-founders of Front, a customer communication platform. Collin, the entrepreneur, had a sharp focus on scaling and managing the company, while Perrin, the inventor, was responsible for building the platform itself. This combination of a strong technical foundation and market strategy has helped Front become a successful company in a highly competitive space.
Another great example is Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht, co-founders of Canva. While Perkins had the vision for an easy-to-use graphic design tool and served as the public face of the company, Obrecht focused on the operational side, helping to grow and scale Canva into the global brand it is today. Their complementary skills were key to their success.
The Takeaway: Find Your Perfect Match
Building a company is tough, but the right founding team makes all the difference. As Ben Horowitz points out, the best teams consist of two people: an inventor who can build something extraordinary and an entrepreneur who can take the market by storm. Together, they can overcome challenges, innovate continuously, and compete fiercely.
Finding the right balance between these two roles is critical. If you’re looking to start a company, think about how your skill set complements your co-founder’s, and how together, you can create something truly remarkable.
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