Finding Your First Technical Partner: Co-Founder or First Hire?

​For non-technical founders, one of the hardest early decisions is determining who should own the technical side of the business and whether that person should be a co-founder or an early hire. Without a technical background, how do you assess whether someone has the skills to build what you need? How do you distinguish a strong technical partner from someone who simply interviews well? And when does a startup truly need a technical co-founder versus an engineer, contractor, or other early technical hire?