Thanks ^redacted‌, you’re right that asking someone to share about failures or when they’re at their worst is a great way to judge a person’s self awareness, ability to be vulnerable, and if they’re honest understand where their gaps might be.

We're pre-acquisition but there are several signals that gave me conviction that my partner was a good fit. #1 was dedication, we are both committed to making an acquisition as the next step in our careers. We're both "all in" and see this as the only option for fulfilling our professional desires. One thing we both agreed on is it's not just about the money. We have turned down numerous offers for more pay in our current W2 jobs. There's no amount of money or promotion that would convince us from stepping away from an acquisition. #2 was work ethic, we've worked together on projects before and it's hard to find anyone who can match our work ethic. We're both workaholics in the best sense of the word and have families who are supportive and understanding. #3 was compatibility, we have similar hopes and values. We can sit and talk for hours and genuinely enjoy working together. Last but not least, #4 is we complement each other's skills and both bring unique value to the search and eventually operating the business. It's a lot like dating and I would say, when you know, you know.