Is my seo co-founder .. working ?

[liptunxz]

Hey everyone,
I just accepted an seo expert that actually seems really competent at what he does, and is motivated.
But he also works on the side on multiple projects as he freelances, and he doesn't really give me any updates on what he does for our project.
The website isnt build yet, still in construction and only 2 pages have been created with AI, he didn't even modify them.
It's been 2 weeks now.

He seems honest so I'm wondering if there are multiple backend stuff I don't see that could be his main preoccupation or if he just doesn't work very much on the project and just see it as a small side hustle.

What are your thoughts on this ?
I will ofc speak with him in a couple of days about it but wanted an outside perspective.

 

[BalticProxy_Eu]

You probably should ask him for daily updates. If that's not possible, even a bidaily update. He's getting paid for a project, I think it's fine for you to ask where your money is going to.

 

[Builder Dave]

Ask him what he is doing. We can't really know. He might already be growing a PBN empire that will skyrocket your site when it's ready, he might be dragging his feet waiting for a more developed site to do his magic on, or he might just be leading you on, so he can stay a cofounder without doing much.

It's OK for you to demand accountability. It's a good idea to figure all of this out as early as possible while the stakes are still low.

 

[learnandearnwithseo]

How much are you paying him ? May be you are not paying him good and thus he is not very much interested in the work.

 

[beverlie]

From what you are saying he is probably not doing any work and just buying time treating your project like a small side-gig

 

[TigerNotWoods]

The website isnt build yet, still in construction and only 2 pages have been created with AI, he didn't even modify them.
It's been 2 weeks now.

He seems honest

Sorry, but he does not seem to be honest. You should not look out for sweet sugar coated talks, you need to demand action and results, as you are paying him. Or, is it that you are paying him peanuts, so you are getting what you are paying for ?

 

[liptunxz]

Thank you all for your answers guys

I do want to add that he is not being paid by me, as some of you might believe.

On the other hand, he indeed might still want the benefit from being a co-founder, even without doing much effort.

Communication is indeed key, I just don't want to be managing him.
I need to find a balance between knowing what's being done without making him feel like he is my employee, I guess

 

[Builder Dave]

I need to find a balance between knowing what's being done without making him feel like he is my employee, I guess

Partners can still give each other reports on what has been done. Co-founders can (and usually should) have a robust system to track who is doing what, what is the progress and so on. If you have some task tracking system that both of you are using, it wouldn't be you managing him, it would be everybody knowing what everybody is doing.

 

[liptunxz]

Partners can still give each other reports on what has been done. Co-founders can (and usually should) have a robust system to track who is doing what, what is the progress and so on. If you have some task tracking system that both of you are using, it wouldn't be you managing him, it would be everybody knowing what everybody is doing.

Thank you for your input, I believe you are right we should indeed have that.
I was perhaps idealistic in believing I wouldn't need that for my co-founder as well, but I probably do, especially in the beginning when I don't know the guy

 

[NoSoup4U]

Have a direct and honest conversation and start agreeing to certain commitments by specific dates

 

[saferidge]

Just be clear with your expectations and ask for regular updates.

 

[XrumerGeek]

Use Google sheets, and comtact via Tele/Whatsapp twice a week for reporting and updates.

Problem solved.

 

[Manuelmktg]

I do want to add that he is not being paid by me

You answered your doubts. At the same time you mentioned, he does (other) freelancing work.
So, put yourself in his shoes. We all work for money.
You mentioned, he has the benefit of being a co-founder. But, that is a speculation or rather a gamble for him, because your venture may grow, but it may also not grow. So, at the moment, he is doing (other) freelancing work, which is bringing him the bucks. If I was him, I would also invest my time in what brings me confirmed bucks, rather that invest my time on a speculatory gamble, which may or may not even happen.

 

[Panther28]

He's probably jsut fobbing you off, and going elsewhere to try to bag half done work checks. Watch out for these people they don't know how to finish one project. They will gladly take your money though.

 

[MorganX]

Hey, just being honest, if it’s been two weeks with no updates and the AI pages haven’t been touched, he’s probably treating this as a low-priority side project. Some SEO work can happen behind the scenes, sure, but he should still be keeping you in the loop. I’d talk to him and ask what he’s been working on, and how he plans to keep you updated going forward.

 

[natsuko]

Hard to tell, but he should at least be communicating some progress, even if it's just backend stuff.

 

[tranphamduyminh]

It's common for initial SEO work on a new site to be completely invisible for the first few weeks—it’s all about technical architecture, deep keyword research, and competitor analysis. Two weeks isn't enough time to judge his output.
However, a complete lack of proactive updates is a serious red flag in a co-founder relationship, regardless of how busy he is freelancing. When you speak to him, focus on setting clear expectations around communication frequency and define the core technical milestones he should be prioritizing before any content goes live.