Partner Selection Priorities

Shaan Puri shares his perspective on selecting business partners, emphasizing three key qualities inspired by Warren Buffett's philosophy: energy, integrity, and intelligence. He believes these core traits are essential for successful partnerships, with particular emphasis on the importance of energy as a non-negotiable quality.

Key Points:

• Energy is the Most Critical and Visible Trait:

  • Easiest quality to spot early on
  • Often mistakenly viewed as a "nice to have" rather than essential
  • Every time he's compromised on energy, it's been a mistake

• Energy Manifests in Different Ways:

  • Not just about being outwardly energetic or having a big personality
  • Shows up through text messages, late-night thinking
  • Revealed through quick action-taking and self-driven motivation
  • Demonstrated by shifting gears up when opportunities arise

• Intelligence/Competence Assessment:

  • Look for specific areas of excellence (selling, building, execution)
  • Focus on their ability to push projects forward consistently
  • Evaluate their particular strengths and expertise

• Integrity is the Hardest to Evaluate:

  • Key question: How will they act when they have the opportunity to be selfish?
  • Best assessed through:
    • Talking to previous collaborators
    • Direct questioning about their principles
    • Observing their behavior in various situations

• Partnership Testing Strategy:

  • Always prioritize experience over beliefs
  • Work together for 3 weeks before making commitments
  • Real collaboration reveals more than documented agreements
  • Values actual experience over theoretical compatibility