Keep in mind there are certain things that need to be right for a carb to allow the engine to run right:
basic choke adjustment (it should close almost all the way on a cold engine)
vaccum break also called choke pull off--this is a vacuum operated diaphragm that will via a linkage pull the choke plate open slightly so the engine gets enough air to keep running
operator follows correct procedure: before starting, open throttle all the way (this allows choke plate to close), pumps throttle 2-3x, this allows accel pump to squirt out a bit of gas to help starting, then the operator has to set the throttle setting manually, this sets the fast idle position (about 1/4 forward) with the shift system disengaged (some handles pull out to do this , some you push in a button on the lever to do this). Then crank it over with the starter.
We all had cars back in the day, that were exactly the same as this, except that there was a fast idle cam that set the fast idle automatically when the choke closed.
And, we tended to like or dislike our carbed cars based on how well they started cold. We had a '72 Chevy 350 with a Rochester 2bbl that was balky during cold starts (probably because the mechanics did not know how to properly adjust the well type or divorced choke used then) and a '75 Olds 350 with a Q-Jet that was a good cold starter.
If your carb is dirty, or mal-adjusted or needs a rebuild, then it will probably act up most during cold starts, because of the difficulty in atomizing fuel in a cold engine.
If you run old boats like many here do, carbs are much easier to deal with. Why, well you can still get them rebuilt, you can buy brand new Marine Holleys or Edelbrock 1409s and there are no EFI control units that are no longer available when the boat gets to be 15--20 years old to stop you. I'll take a carb, and a points distributor, over No Longer Available or NLA electronic control units any day.