Couldn't agree more, Trenton Hughes Here's 5 questions to test for your cofounder's craziness level (without triggering a live demo): 1. What's the worst conflict you've had on a team? 2. Are you still on good terms with your last cofounder? (If they had one) 3. Why did you

Why Founders Need to Talk about Exit on Day 1. You have a cofounder, a great idea, maybe even some traction. Awesome. But before you hire a team, raise a round, or sign an office lease, you and your cofounder need to have a “what-if” conversation. What if one of you wants out?

5 Phrases that Escalate Conflict (and what to say instead) 1: “Calm down” I’ve never seen anyone calm down after being told to calm down. If anything, it makes people even more mad. Try this instead: “I get that this matters to you. Let’s figure it out.” 2: “You’re

Ultimatums only work when 1: you've exhausted all other options and 2: you're actually ready to act on it.

Unpopular opinion: Your business is only as strong as the relationships within your team. You can be the most brilliant people individually. You can have the most groundbreaking idea that actually works. You can have all the funding you need, and then some. But if you secretly

How to spot manipulation in disguise. Manipulation often disguises as concern, care, vulnerability, or politeness. But it’s not about WHAT someone says. It’s about WHY they’re saying it, and what outcome they’re trying to control. Same phrase, different intent. “I’m just

WHY early stage founders need conflict skills more than pitch decks Your team has a brilliant idea that solves a real pain and makes money out of thin air. Great start! Yet, most (=over half!) of early stage startups fail not because their PMF is bad, or GTM strategy is not

A lot of people don't discuss expectations because it's "common sense". But "common sense" is just your personal setting. Don't assume others think the way you do. Explicit > assumed.

How to respond to “that’s how we’ve always done it” argument You’re in a meeting. You bring up an idea to change a process that would make everyone’s life easier. Then someone says: “That’s how we’ve always done it” When people say that, it’s not about the process itself. It

When founders say "we never argue" I don't think "wow what a strong team" I think "uh-oh..."

“We don’t need a contract”: A Case Study Two business owners in a small community: one owns a construction company, the other runs a design studio. They’d known each other for years. They’d shared meals, helped each other’s kids with homework, went to the same church and

If you don't speak up when the issue is discussed, don't get upset when your opinion isn't part of the decision.

WHY a “unanimous” decision ends up backfiring Some nodded, nobody objected. So everyone agreed. Right? It’s not that simple. Sometimes, the whole team shows enthusiastic agreement, only for someone to sabotage the plan later. Why does it happen? - They think it’s already been

WHY businesses can’t afford to ignore conflict Conflict doesn’t feel expensive until you’re slapped with a lawsuit. But the invisible costs pile up. Let’s look at some numbers. ➡️ On average, US employees spend 2.8 hours per week on dealing with conflict. That’s more than $700

Stop treating offense like a crisis. Getting your feeling hurt is part if the human experience. Especially in conflict. You don't need to walk on eggshells or explode when something stings.

Unpopular opinion: you’re bad at conflict because you focus on not offending someone or on getting back at someone who offended you. Focus on getting past the offense instead.

Say you have bad news to share. Don't start with: "I don't want to offend you but..." "Don't get upset but..." Say: "This may upset you" "This may be hard to hear" No buts. Just set an expectation and get to the point.

“We need to talk” is the worst way to start a hard conversation.

65% of startups fail because of cofounder conflict. Underwriting plan: Market risk: ✔️ Product risk: ✔️ Financial risk: ✔️ Founder conflict: ✨vibes ✨