Trial projects part 1 - TFP - 10/9

Author

Dunky
October 09, 2025 • Read time: 9 minutes

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📰 Today's Edition: Co-Founder Trial Projects Part 1

So you’ve been swiping right on potential co-founders (metaphorically speaking), having those awkward “getting to know you” coffee chats, and wondering if this person could be the one to help you build the next big thing.

Here’s a better idea: trial projects.

Think of them as a test drive for your potential partnership. No long-term commitment, no awkward breakup conversations if it doesn’t work out.

Because let’s be real – you wouldn’t hire someone based on a few iced matcha lattes, right? So why would you hand over half your company that way?

The beauty of a trial project is that it reveals who people really are under pressure. Talk is cheap, but execution is where the magic happens. Just like in my hippocorn horn.

This is part 1 of a two-part series on co-founder trial projects. This article covers bringing someone into your existing startup.

In next week’s article, part 2 will cover testing a partnership when you're both starting fresh together.

The Five Traits That Matter

Forget about their impressive LinkedIn profile for a hot minute. Here's what you should watch for:

  • Speed: Do they move fast or get stuck in analysis paralysis?

  • Clarity: Can they explain complex ideas simply? If they can't make you understand their thinking, how will they explain it to customers or investors?

  • Ownership: Do they take responsibility when things go sideways, or do they play the blame game? (Spoiler alert: things will go sideways. A lot.)

  • Curiosity: Are they asking the right questions and digging deeper, or just nodding along? Curious people find solutions that others miss.

  • Openness: Do they hear your feedback and seriously consider it? Or do they dismiss anything anyone else suggests?

Picking the Test Project

Here's where most people mess up – they either pick something too big (building a prototype that takes three months) or too small (researching competitors for an afternoon).

You want just right.

Your trial project should be something that you can finish in 1-4 weeks max. It should matter to your business and isn’t just busy work.

And it should use both your abilities.

Some ideas that work well:

  • Design and validate a specific feature

  • Research and recommend a go-to-market strategy for one customer segment

  • Build a small tool or process that your team actually needs

The IP Question

When you're working on a trial project, you're gonna create some pretty awesome stuff.

Maybe it's code, maybe it's designs, documents, strategies, or literally anything else you dream up.

All of that falls under something called IP (which is just short for intellectual property, fancy talk for "the stuff you created").

But who owns all that work once the trial is done?

Good news is, you've got options:

Option 1: Company owns everything (most common)

  • Any work done during the trial belongs to your company

  • If they join as co-founder: great, they get equity in the company that owns their work

  • If they don't join: you keep the work, they walk away clean

Option 2: They keep their IP until they join

  • They own what they create during trial

  • Protects them and hopefully this project is not core to your company

We recommend going with Option 1 for existing startups. Have them sign a simple IP assignment agreement before starting.

And it doesn't need to be complicated.

Consult your lawyer though. As a hippocorn, I’ve never taken the bar exam.

Timing Is Everything

One week might be too rushed (unless it's a very focused project), but anything over a month starts feeling like unpaid consulting work.

Remember, this is a two way street.

The sweet spot is two to three weeks with clear milestones.

Set expectations upfront: "Let's spend the next two weeks figuring out our customer onboarding flow. We'll check in every few days, and at the end we'll both know if we work well together.”

Things To Look For And Avoid

Pay attention to how this person works, not just what they deliver.

Do they get stuck on every little choice, or do they make reasonable decisions and move forward?

Do you have to chase them for updates, or do they keep you in the loop naturally?

Do they actually want your input, or do they disappear into a cave and emerge with something you've never seen before?

And whatever you do, don't fall into these traps:

  1. The endless project: If scope keeps creeping and timelines keep extending, that's how they'll run your startup, too.

  2. The free labor trap: You're evaluating each other, not getting free consulting work. Make sure it's mutual.

  3. Perfectionism: If they can't ship something "good enough" for a trial, they'll struggle with startup speed.

Success Stories

One founder I know ran a two-week customer research project with three potential co-founders.

The winner? Not the one with the fanciest credentials, but the one who came back with actionable insights and a plan for the next steps.

Another team tested building a simple landing page and running ads to it.

The right co-founder didn't just build the page – they suggested A/B testing two different value propositions and came back with actual data about which message resonated.

What If It Doesn't Work Out?

That’s the point. It's supposed to be low-stakes.

If it's not a fit, you've invested 2-3 weeks, not 2 years. You learned something. They learned something.

Maybe you stay friends. Maybe you don't. But you didn't blow up a company finding out.

Here’s a script you can use:

"Hey, I learned a ton working together on this. I don't think our working styles are the right fit for a co-founder partnership, but I really appreciate your time and effort."

That's it. You don't owe them a dissertation. Just be kind and honest.

The Bottom Line

Look, finding a co-founder is scary.

You're basically entering a business marriage, and the stakes are your dream, your time, and probably your sanity.

But here's what we tell founders who are on the hunt: stop trying to find the "perfect" person on paper and start finding the right person in practice.

Run small experiments. See how they handle real work under real deadlines.

Think of the trial project as a dress rehearsal for what it’s like to work together for realsies. Better to know now if things don’t work out, rather than waiting for opening night.

Now I want a iced matcha latte,

Dunky from Hustle Fund

🎥 Watch This

Great founders care as much about marketing and distribution as they do about building a great product. Many 2nd-time founders learned this the hard way after focusing only on product in their first startup.

We explain more in this episode of Uncapped Notes.