Co-Founder Counseling
Support for the partnership at the heart of your startup since how you show up together shapes everything else.
65% of high-potential startups fail due to conflict among co-founders.
—Noam Wasserman, The Founder’s Dilemma
Most co-founder conflict isn’t about the business strategy. It’s about how you talk to each other, how you handle stress, and how you repair when things go sideways.
Left unaddressed, these dynamics shape culture, decision-making, and ultimately the company’s trajectory.
What You Can Expect from Co-Founder Counseling
Practical, confidential sessions designed to strengthen the partnership at the center of your startup.
✺ Clarity
A space to talk openly about tensions, patterns, and blind spots without it spilling into the team.
✺ Communication
Practical tools for handling disagreement, making decisions together, and staying connected under pressure.
✺ Trust
A deep foundation which shapes not just your partnership, but the entire company’s future.
Does this sound like you?
Teams often come to us saying things like:
"We waste hours debating the small things, and it leaves us drained for what really matters."
"We waste hours debating the small things, and it leaves us drained for what really matters."
"We agree on the big picture, but the day-to-day feels harder than it should."
"We agree on the big picture, but the day-to-day feels harder than it should."
"I feel like I’m carrying more of the weight, even if we don’t say it out loud."
"I feel like I’m carrying more of the weight, even if we don’t say it out loud."
"We avoid hard conversations until they erupt and derail everything else."
"We avoid hard conversations until they erupt and derail everything else."
✺ Frequently asked questions ✺
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We work with startup co-founder teams, usually between Seed to Series C stage, but also with early-stage teams still shaping their partnership. What matters most is your willingness to show up together and look at how you’re working.
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Each session runs 75 minutes and follows a simple flow: we start with a check-in from each co-founder, then surface the tensions or decisions on your mind.
We guide the conversation to make sure each perspective is heard and the dynamic between you is the focus, not just the surface issue. Sessions often end with concrete takeaways or practices you can bring into your day-to-day, so progress carries forward.
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It depends on your team and what you’re facing. Typically, we’ll meet for a set number of sessions to work through a specific issue.
Occasionally, a single session is enough to get clarity. And for some teams, it becomes an ongoing practice — meeting every other week to keep a pulse on the relationship, not just troubleshoot problems. The structure is flexible and adapts to your needs.
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No.
Some teams we’ve worked with have affectionately called it “couples therapy for co-founders” because it can feel supportive and eye-opening, but this isn’t clinical treatment. The focus of Co-Founder Counseling is on your partnership as leaders, not mental health diagnoses.
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Yes, absolutely.
Nothing you share leaves the room. Not with your team, not with investors, not with the board. Sessions are never recorded, and we’re glad to sign an NDA if that helps you feel secure.
If you also see us for 1:1 Coaching, those conversations stay separate too. What’s shared in individual work stays there, and vice versa.
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Most teams meet every other week for 75 minutes. We offer virtual sessions over Zoom, or in-person in New York City and Miami.
Whether we’re addressing a short-term issue or maintaining long-term alignment, the key is consistency. We’re happy to help you think through the right format for your team.
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That happens. Occasionally, one founder starts the process and the other joins later. We’re happy to talk through fit and approach with both of you, separately if needed.
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We frequently work with teams of three or more.
The format adjusts a bit, but the goal is the same: space to navigate dynamics and strengthen how you lead together.
Let’s connect
Tell us briefly what’s going on for you and your team. We’ll reach out to explore whether Co-Founder Counseling could help.