One thing I would add to your list is that we were pretty clear from the get-go on what skills we each wanted to focus on: I wanted to design & code, and you had a huge network of friends and acquaintances as well as a killer strategic mind, both of which lent themselves naturally to sales. We both did (and still do) a little of everything, of course, but we also have areas of specialization, which has made it pretty straightforward to share the workload of running the business, and to avoid stepping on each other’s toes.

I think this is critical because if you aren’t complementing one another’s skillsets, you may find yourself reinforcing blind spots, doubling up on work, or simply reducing your efficiency and effectiveness.