Guide · EasyCofounder
How to find a business or sales co-founder
Many projects start with a technical founder who has built a product but struggles to sell it. This guide helps technical founders find a business co-founder (sales, marketing or business development) and build a balanced founding team.
Updated on 5 min readBy the EasyCofounder team
In short
A business co-founder is the partner who connects the product to the market: they find the first customers, build acquisition and often lead fundraising. To find one, identify how your product is sold (B2B, B2C, specialist sector), look in business schools, at industry events and on EasyCofounder, then test them on a measurable sales goal before partnering.
Contents
- What is a business co-founder?
- Which business profile should you choose for your market?
- Where can you find a sales co-founder?
- How do you assess a business co-founder?
- How should a technical founder and a business co-founder divide roles?
- What should you offer a business co-founder?
- Which warning signs should you look out for?
- Frequently asked questions
- About this guide
What is a business co-founder?
A business co-founder is the partner in charge of everything that connects the product to the market: understanding customers, finding the first paying users, building acquisition, forming partnerships and, often, leading fundraising. Depending on their background and how the team is organised, they act as CEO, head of sales or CMO.
For a technical founder, they bring what is usually missing most at the start: regular conversations with customers and a method for turning interest into sales.
They also bring an outside view of the product: by relaying customer objections, they help the technical team prioritise what really matters for selling.
Which business profile should you choose for your market?
The right business co-founder depends on how your product is sold. An excellent enterprise salesperson is not necessarily comfortable with online acquisition, and vice versa.
| Your market | Profile to favour | Key skills |
|---|---|---|
| Businesses (B2B) | Direct sales, business development | Prospecting, meetings, negotiation, industry network |
| Consumers (B2C) | Marketing and growth | Online acquisition, measuring results, brand, content |
| Regulated or technical sector | Industry expert with commercial sense | Knowledge of customers, regulations and key players |
| Marketplace | Growth on both sides | Acquiring supply and demand, partnerships |
Two developers have built management software for bicycle repair shops. Rather than an online marketing specialist, they are looking for a partner who knows the network of repair shops and can organise on-site demos, because their customers are mostly won over face to face.
Where can you find a sales co-founder?
- Business schools and their alumni networks.
- Events, trade shows and professional associations in your target industry.
- Networks of sales, marketing and growth professionals.
- Your most enthusiastic early users: some of them know the market inside out.
- EasyCofounder: publish your project and specify the business profile you need, or browse business and marketing talent.
How do you assess a business co-founder?
The best test is a practical one: give them a first measurable sales goal over a few weeks (customer meetings, first feedback, a letter of intent). You will see their method, their energy and the quality of their conversations with customers.
- They give specific examples of results and explain how they achieved them.
- They understand your product and can explain it simply to a customer.
- They ask questions about customers before talking strategy.
- You are aligned on the target, pricing and priority channels.
- They are happy to report regularly on their actions and results.
How should a technical founder and a business co-founder divide roles?
The technical-plus-business duo is a classic, but it works best when each respects the other’s area while sharing the key decisions.
- Customer feedback gathered by the business co-founder feeds product priorities.
- Technical constraints are shared early to avoid selling what cannot be delivered.
- Major decisions (pricing, target market, funding, hiring) are made together.
To put this organisation in writing: the shareholders’ agreement essentials.
What should you offer a business co-founder?
As with any co-founder, the main reward is a genuine leadership role and a share of the equity. Experienced business profiles also look closely at the product’s commercial potential and at how decisions will be shared.
- A clear scope: sales, marketing, partnerships, fundraising?
- Real autonomy over commercial decisions.
- An equity stake to be discussed, usually earned progressively (vesting).
- Visibility on funding for the coming months and on the prospect of a salary.
To structure the equity discussion: splitting equity between co-founders.
Which warning signs should you look out for?
Some behaviours, spotted during early conversations or the trial period, deserve a frank discussion before you partner:
- Lots of strategy but no real customer contact during the trial period.
- Promises of results with no explanation of the method.
- A demand for an immediate high salary that the project cannot afford, with no discussion of alternatives.
- A lack of interest in the product and in user feedback.
- Reluctance to put the rules of the partnership in writing.
A technical founder asks a candidate to spend four weeks securing ten meetings with target customers and summarising their objections. At the end, they compare the results with the goal, discuss next steps and decide together whether to partner.
Frequently asked questions
Does the business co-founder have to be CEO?
Not necessarily. The CEO role depends on vision, leadership and how the team complements each other, not just on sales skills. What matters is a clear split of responsibilities.
Can I offer a salesperson equity instead of a salary?
Yes, this is common for a partner who joins early, but it then becomes a genuine partnership: the equity comes with a long-term commitment and written rules, such as vesting.
How do I know whether my project needs a business co-founder?
If the product is progressing but you lack the time or confidence to talk to customers, prospect and sell, a business co-founder can make a real difference. A sales trial of a few weeks helps you check.
Where can I find a sales co-founder for a startup?
In business schools, at events in your industry, in sales and marketing professional networks, and on EasyCofounder, specifying how your product is sold.
Business co-founder or first salaried salesperson: which should I choose?
A first salaried salesperson executes a strategy that already exists, whereas a business co-founder builds that strategy with you and shares the risk. If the way to sell is still to be invented, a co-founder is often the better fit; if it is already proven, hiring may be enough.
How should I present my project to a potential business co-founder?
Show the product, early user feedback and your target market, then explain the role and autonomy you are offering. Our guide “How to pitch your project to a future co-founder” sets out a simple structure.
Find my business co-founder
Publish your project, receive compatible profiles
Further reading
- Find a co-founderHow to find a co-founder for your startup: CTO, CEO and COO profiles, where to look, how to choose, equity and the mistakes to avoid.
- Find a technical co-founderFind a technical co-founder (startup CTO): the CTO co-founder’s role, preparing your project, where to look and how to assess them if you can’t code.
- Find a business partnerEntrepreneur looking for a business partner? Clarify what you need, where to look, how to choose a partner and how to secure the partnership.
- Shareholders’ agreementShareholders’ agreement: what it is for, how it differs from the articles of association, common clauses between co-founders and when to sign it.
About this guide
This guide was written by the EasyCofounder team — a platform that connects founders, talents and startups (a service by IRPEA) — and was last updated on November 4, 2026. It draws on common startup practice and on the questions our members ask.
It provides general guidance and is not legal, tax or financial advice. For your own situation, consult a qualified professional (lawyer, accountant) and the official resources available in your country.