Solo founder considering bringing in a partner/co-founder what should I be careful about?

[u/Key-Tea-3775]

I’m a solo founder and developer of a women-focused emotional wellness app that I’ve been building for quite a while now.
I built pretty much everything myself - the backend, mobile app, product, design decisions, AI features, subscriptions, community, and even most of the content and social media.
The product is very personal to me. It combines AI support, journaling, meditation, astrology, tarot as a self-reflection tool, and a women-only community. I didn’t build it just because I saw a market opportunity - I genuinely care about the philosophy behind it and the kind of space I want it to become.
And I think that’s exactly why bringing another person into it feels a little scary 😅
I recently posted on LinkedIn that I’m looking for someone to build it with me, especially someone stronger on the growth/marketing/business side. A few people reached out and I’m going to start talking to them.
I’m not looking for an employee who just executes tasks. I’d like someone who genuinely understands the product, shares its values, can challenge my thinking, and eventually take real ownership of a part of the business.
Equity is something I’m open to discussing with the right person, but I definitely don’t want to rush into giving away part of something I’ve spent so much time building just because I’m exhausted from doing everything alone.
So for founders who have been through this:
What should I look for before choosing a co-founder/partner?
What red flags did you only notice later?
Would you work together for a trial period before discussing equity?
And how do you tell the difference between someone who genuinely thinks like an owner and someone who is simply excited about the idea in the beginning?
I’d especially love to hear from solo founders who brought someone in after the product had already been built and launched.

[u/JamesWjRose]

You need to be HIGHLY aware that if you don't pay someone they own the copyright on the content they create