Co-founder Conflicts

Co-founder conflicts: one of the trickiest situations that a founding team goes through. How should founders engage with one another amidst a conflict & maneuver such a situation? Tune in to find out.

Rajinder:

What if I’m not getting along with my co-founder, what should I do?

Avnish:

I think it’s a problem and it is probably one of the trickiest situations a founding team goes through.

And the answer I have is not politically correct​ and it’s not going to be popular, but I think if you are in that situation, you are done. Sadly, I’ve seen multiple instances where – the process of coming together has been – we didn't clearly discuss it, but one needs to spend so much time on it think about scenarios, interact in different settings, potentially hang out as families. You are so intertwined that to disengage is probably as pain full as it would be if not some phase, it could be even more given it's tied to a work success than it would be in a marriage situation right.

So, I understand that but that doesn’t mean that the answer is not clearer and fortunately you can say that the company is your baby but it’s not, you know there is a human, blood, connection on the other side, so I think you have to be more objective.

So, my view is you give it your best shot but both sides – and I’ve seen actually 80% of the situation where it’s been handled beautifully by both sides.

So, my view is the what versus the how are very different things. If the what is clear, which in my view if you are thinking about it it’s probably clear it’s not working. Versus the how you are going to disengage, how you are going to move forward, I think those are very different things. And in my view when the what is clear do the how with as much grace, as much humility but with as much objectivity as you can. And be over-generous when it comes to economics, I think that’s where people screw up.

Do whatever it takes on the economics because there are relationships you want to keep for life, and there is a karmic angle to it where you want to keep that positive energy around you. your people are watching you, how this is going to happen, and they want to take lessons from that.