Entrepreneur Myth #64: The more founders, the merrier.

What is the optimum number of founders for a startup? Based on my empirical experience in investing into more than 25 companies, the magical number is three. Startups are hard enough as it is -- you need to have enough founders on the team to get the company off the launching pad. But too many cooks in the kitchen can ruin a meal.

One is not enough -- most of the time.

Starting a startup all alone is a nightmare. It's not easy but it can be and has been done. I know a few software programmers who started alone and made it. They worked by day for another company, then worked their fucking ass off at night developing their own software application or app. Going it alone is hard. You need to have tons of energy and luck to get a business off the ground. You can do it alone more easily if your product is digital and can leverage digital networks to get distribution. MORE