Mine almost always starts on the first kick, when cold. I have a ritual for the first start. check all switches, make sure they're on, as well as the fuel, then pull choke to full. go through a couple compression strokes by kicking it over slowly, gotta feel it...like thump thump...thump thump, Then give it one good fast kick and it starts. NO throttle needed until it first fires, then reach down and push the choke in to half for a few seconds, then turn choke off, and let it idle, blipping the throttle once in a while.
I forgot.. I also hold the throttle just above idle after turning the choke off, then let it idle.