I'm a little unclear on what's being said here: that there is a distinction between partners and co-founders? Or is it that you wouldn't have made the co-founders partners right of the bat?

If the latter, maybe:
`I would have awarded co-founder status to those that started, but I would have held of on making the co-founders partners until we figured out what everyone's role was going to be.`
 +understand what the roles will really be.