Running a startup is no less than running a family. I read themorningcontext.com on the same.
In the early days, startups are all about the team. It is extremely important to have like-minded folks with the same vision and end goal.
As an individual contributor, you are part of this family that is taking baby steps to bloom. Honesty and trust are incredibly important.
Founders are just one piece of this bigger operating system. If founders are not committed, the dawn begins and ends then and there.
Strive for finding the right team before shopping for funding or copying some valley/Chinese model.
Monkeys see monkey do. We are all animals.