I spoke with a founder who recently sold his company. He shared the story leading up to the sale. But that wasn’t what he was most excited about. He wanted to talk about his new venture. He was approached by another founder who had built an early product and wanted feedback. As he listened, he got excited and decided he wanted to join the company as a cofounder. He’s now working hard to take his cofounder’s idea to the next level.

Founders are usually builders at heart. I’ve got a few friends who exited companies and now are building something else. They could easily sit back and relax, but that isn’t an option in their minds. They want to get back in the saddle.

Finding a cofounder is hard; it’s the biggest obstacle for many early-stage first-time founders. I’ve shared thoughts on ways to overcome this.

Today I realized that recently exited founders are a great pool of potential cofounders. They’ve got the experience and have had success. They empathize with where you are in the journey. They’re builders at heart. And most likely they have more free time than they’re used to.

If you’re an early-stage founder looking for a cofounder, consider reaching out to founders who’ve recently exited. Worst-case scenario, they don’t want to meet. Best-case scenario, you find a cofounder who’s got a track record of success!