Co-founder is a commitment. Collaborator is a starting point.
We could call them co-founders on Toskie TeamUp. We intentionally don't.
Co-founder is usually a destination, not a starting point.
When someone has an idea, they may need to meet several skilled people — a developer, a designer, a marketer, a product person, a mentor. They TeamUp, work together for a while, and figure out each other's skills, mindset, commitment, and way of working.
Some people leave midway — the idea, the pace, or the expectations don't fit. Others become long-term teammates. And in some cases, two people decide to build a company together.
That's when "co-founder" becomes relevant. Not before.
So we use Collaborator deliberately:
Collaborator → TeamUp → Build together → Discover fit → Commit → Co-founder
We're not asking someone to become a co-founder just because they have a skill. We're giving both sides the chance to work together first and decide what they actually want to become to each other
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