Deliverables-First Partnership Rule
Define a partner by valuable outcomes delivered, not fixed hours logged.
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 90%
This rule evaluates a business partner by the outcomes they own and deliver rather than a promised weekly block of time. Start by defining what the venture actually needs from each person and matching those outputs to their strengths. Agree on what completion and value mean, along with ownership and equity, before work becomes ambiguous. Effort can then rise during fundraising or a launch and fall during quieter assessment periods without making the partnership look inconsistent. The model fits portfolio entrepreneurs whose contribution cannot be captured by a single hour number. It does not mean time is irrelevant or that accountability disappears. The observable unit simply moves from attendance to agreed delivery, with trust built by meeting or exceeding those commitments.
Origin
Perez described co-founding a venture-capital company while continuing his Young Pueblo work. His weekly effort changes by phase, so the partnership focuses on what he delivers to the group rather than a fixed hour promise.
Core principles
- 01A project's workload changes by phase.
- 02Hours are a weak proxy for valuable contribution.
- 03Partners should define what each person can reliably deliver.
- 04Value must be recognized and accepted by the group.
- 05Consistent overdelivery builds partnership trust.
How to run it
- 1
Define needed outcomes
List the concrete results the venture needs from each partner in its current phase.
Pro tip Use outcomes the group can recognize, not vague commitments to help.
Watch out Do not use deliverables language to hide an undefined role.
- 2
Assign by strength
Match ownership to what each person can contribute effectively and credibly.
Pro tip Include access, judgment, and relationships when they produce real project value.
- 3
Agree on value and equity
Confirm that the group accepts the proposed contribution as valuable and set the ownership terms clearly.
Pro tip Resolve mismatched expectations before delivery begins.
Watch out Equity should not rest on an implied contribution nobody has defined.
- 4
Deliver through changing phases
Vary effort with the venture's needs while remaining accountable for the agreed outcomes.
Pro tip Re-scope deliverables when the company moves from fundraising to investment assessment or operations.
Watch out Flexible hours do not justify missed outcomes.
- 5
Review outcomes
Evaluate whether each partner delivered useful results and adjust the next agreement accordingly.
Pro tip Reward reliable overdelivery, but do not normalize an unsustainable hidden workload.
In the wild
Perez contributes to a venture-capital company while running Young Pueblo. He does not promise the same ten, twenty, or thirty hours every week. Fundraising periods demand more work, while company assessment periods demand less, so the partners evaluate the contribution he delivers.
→ The partnership accommodates changing phases without reducing value to time logged.
Common mistakes
Replacing hours with vagueness
The approach only works when the expected outcome is more explicit than the hour quota it replaces.
Ignoring phase changes
A fixed deliverable can become irrelevant when the venture shifts from fundraising to another operating phase.
Is it for you?
Best for
Experienced collaborators contributing to several ventures or phase-variable startup work.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal where labor law, safety coverage, or operational shifts require explicit hours.
From the transcript
“It's more what can you deliver to the project.”
“It's it changes. You know, sometimes when we're fundraising, there's tons of work. When we're just just assessing companies and making investments, it's slightly less…”
“You just you just make sure that you overd deliver and everyone's going to be happy.”
From the episode
Yung Pueblo: How Self-Healing Unlocks Success in Business and Relationships
Yung Pueblo