That 65% co-founder conflict stat is wild, but it tracks with what I've seen. People underestimate how much pressure amplifies every tiny disagreement about vision or equity splits. The smartest move is having those brutal conversations super early, not when you're already drowning.
Yes and spend a lot of time diligently picking the person you want to build your company with. In the end you will be "married" to this person for multiple years. It always wonders me when people met their Co-founders via these matching portals or online. I would also get multiple work & personal references on the person I'd start a company with. Ideally you have worked with that person before, clearly know how they react under pressure and also know the weaknesses of them.
I am coaching a founder right now going through co-founder breakup. It definitely resembles a relationship breakup as well. And the fear of having to face everything solo now. What’s your advice for founders that might be going through this?
This hits too close. Every time I’ve seen a company fold, the external story was “competition”.. but the inside story was fatigue, drift, or two founders quietly giving up on each other. Your framing makes it brutally clear, and honest. 🙏
This is a brilliant breakdown of the suicide vs. homicide dynamic. In my experience at a seed startup where product-market fit was lacking and the runway was running low, I saw this play out.
As the cash dwindled, the founder, who claimed to be against yes-men, began exclusively promoting them. Many team members saw through this and it affected employee morale. Several started looking for other job opportunities. It turned the company into a private club for his ego, sponsored by investor capital. A key lesson for founders: actively protect dissenting voices, it is a survival mechanism. My second Substack article was a deep dive on this experience.
This really resonates, especially the point that running out of cash is a symptom rather than the cause. Shifting the focus to operational discipline and runway extension is exactly where sustainable growth gets built. TCLM explores that next layer in a B2B context—how trade credit terms, payment timing, and working capital management directly determine how long that runway really is. It offers practical insights for founders and finance leaders looking to strengthen that financial foundation.
That 65% co-founder conflict stat is wild, but it tracks with what I've seen. People underestimate how much pressure amplifies every tiny disagreement about vision or equity splits. The smartest move is having those brutal conversations super early, not when you're already drowning.
Yes and spend a lot of time diligently picking the person you want to build your company with. In the end you will be "married" to this person for multiple years. It always wonders me when people met their Co-founders via these matching portals or online. I would also get multiple work & personal references on the person I'd start a company with. Ideally you have worked with that person before, clearly know how they react under pressure and also know the weaknesses of them.
I am coaching a founder right now going through co-founder breakup. It definitely resembles a relationship breakup as well. And the fear of having to face everything solo now. What’s your advice for founders that might be going through this?
“Stay Focused and Commit Fully: Don’t try to run two companies at once, and don’t treat your startup like a side hustle.”
it seems like a lot of people have had to learn this one the hard way.
great post ty.
Sure, happy to share some hard lessons learned on my side. Maybe it helps someone to avoid those! :)
🔥🔥 absolutely!
This hits too close. Every time I’ve seen a company fold, the external story was “competition”.. but the inside story was fatigue, drift, or two founders quietly giving up on each other. Your framing makes it brutally clear, and honest. 🙏
100% agreed. Startups also usually don't die publicly or loud. They die quietly because of internal conflicts.
Yep- the real autopsy is almost always internal. Markets just give us a cleaner excuse.
This is a brilliant breakdown of the suicide vs. homicide dynamic. In my experience at a seed startup where product-market fit was lacking and the runway was running low, I saw this play out.
As the cash dwindled, the founder, who claimed to be against yes-men, began exclusively promoting them. Many team members saw through this and it affected employee morale. Several started looking for other job opportunities. It turned the company into a private club for his ego, sponsored by investor capital. A key lesson for founders: actively protect dissenting voices, it is a survival mechanism. My second Substack article was a deep dive on this experience.
Startups don’t die because they run out of money.
They die because the founders give up.
This really resonates, especially the point that running out of cash is a symptom rather than the cause. Shifting the focus to operational discipline and runway extension is exactly where sustainable growth gets built. TCLM explores that next layer in a B2B context—how trade credit terms, payment timing, and working capital management directly determine how long that runway really is. It offers practical insights for founders and finance leaders looking to strengthen that financial foundation.
(It’s free)- https://tradecredit.substack.com/
The point about startups commiting suicide is profound. Perhaps this also highlights internal structural, even pedagogical, issues.
This article repeats the same thing multiple times. Keep focused on the subject, keep it short and don't use AI to pad content.