Most founder breakups are avoidable.
But most founders don’t want to hear that.
They blame the market.
They blame investors.
They blame bad luck.
Let’s get real.
Most founder breakups happen because someone dodged the hard conversations early on—or never had them at all.
You think you’re the exception?
You’re not.
I’ve seen it up close—brilliant teams crumble because two people refused to put their egos aside and actually talk.
They hid behind pleasantries.
They postponed conflict until it exploded.
If you’re building with a cofounder, listen up:
Sit down and have the “ugly” talks.
What happens if someone burns out?
What if one of you wants to quit?
Who calls the shots when you disagree?
Spell it out—before you need it.
Set your rules. Lock in your values.
Put it in writing.
Own it.
You can run further together, but only if you pick your pace, your direction, and your rules before the race starts.
Don’t wait for a meltdown—or you’ll lose everything you built.
No excuses.
No fairy tales.
Just work.
Most founder breakups are preventable.
Fix it before it breaks.
What would you add?