tw1010 parent
Cool post. But I don't understand this obsession with taking lessons about such miniscule variables as equal/unequal cofounders from such a small sample set, like the top N=10 companies. There's no way, I bet, that that is enough to determine with any actual statistical confidence what configuration of the variable is optimal. Best you can do is take vauge inspiration from it, but then it'll still be just word against word.
It reminds me of a class I took in B-School called "Organizational Theory" which was a essentially a long pointless discussion on whether the top level of the corporate hierarchy should be split by product (you make 3 widgets, each is a top level of the hierarchy) or function (i.e. sales, marketing, finance, engineering).
As a company grows, people in authority often have few levers they can actually manipulate, so they endlessly obsess over them. Especially if its an engineering-centric company, and the person doesn't have any engineering knowledge.
Can you give an example of these "few levers" that they obsess over?
It reminded me of the article - which is about having asymmetry of founder power. Another one that comes to mind is founder age - younger is better.