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How I Met My Co-Founder

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by Annie Garofalo

5.0(13 reviews)

10 episodes

Updated Weekly

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Podcast Overview

Did you know co-founder conflict kills 65% of startups? Join co-founder relationship expert, Annie Garofalo, as she interviews high performing founding teams on the pivotal, often overlooked moments of choosing co-founders, building trust, and navigating conflicts. In each episode, you’ll be in the room as co-founders reflect on their most intimate moments as a team – from toughest team conversations, communication breakdowns, and decision making best practices. How I Met My Co-Founder is a master-class in navigating the interpersonal challenges facing entrepreneurs. Have questions you want answered live, or guests you want to see? Submit them at www.confidante.info/podcast

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1/2/2024

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Recent Episodes

May 30, 2024

Ep 1.9 • AMA: Couples Therapy for Co-Founders | Guest Host, Crystelle Desnoyer

Ask Me Anything: Couples Therapy for Co-Founders — Former Techstars Chief of Staff, Crystelle Desnoyer, interviewing Co-Founder Relationship Expert, Annie Garofalo In this bonus episode of 'How I Met My Co-Founder,' guest host <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystelle-desnoyer-09882629/'>Crystelle Desnoyer</a>, former Chief of Staff to the CEO of Techstars, switches roles to interview show host <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-garofalo/'>Annie Garofalo</a> about her unique specialization in supporting co-founder relationships. Drawing from her personal experience of co-founding a startup, Annie delves into how differences in definitions and expectations can create challenges even in the strongest of friendships. The discussion covers the importance of proactive communication, the nuanced process of setting up co-founder agreements, and various conflict management strategies. Annie shares insights from her academic research at Stanford and her work with 50 early-stage teams backed by leading investors. Together, they explore the complexities of co-founder dynamics, the role of cultural backgrounds, and when it might be best for co-founders to part ways. Essential takeaways include the value of upfront conversations, structured feedback, and creating a 'pilot phase' to test co-founder compatibility. Crystelle’s Takeaways: <ol><li> Communicate, communicate, communicate! </li> <li> Try to anticipate and discuss as much as you can upfront </li> <li> Put everything in writing to prevent miscommunication </li> <li> Be honest with yourself, be honest with the other person - whether you know them really well or not at all </li> <li> When co-founder ‘dating’ always do a <a href='https://confidante.substack.com/p/trial-period-for-cofounders'>pilot</a> — a high risk, high yield kind of situation in order to really get to know one another. </li> </ol> Get full access to podcast summaries and founding team research and resources by subscribing to the newsletter at www.confidante.substack.com References & Resources: • Non-Violent Communication (Book): https://www.cnvc.org/store/nonviolent-communication-a-language-of-life • Permission to Feel (Book): https://marcbrackett.com/permission-to-feel/ • Piloting Your Co-Founder Relationship: <a href='https://confidante.substack.com/p/trial-period-for-cofounders'>https://confidante.substack.com/p/trial-period-for-cofounders</a> Where to find Crystelle Desnoyer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystelle-desnoyer-09882629/ Where to find Annie Garofalo, host and startup team relationship expert: Website: <a href='https://www.confidante.info'>https://www.confidante.info</a> Newsletter: <a href='https://confidante.substack.com'>https://confidante.substack.com</a> LinkedIn: <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-garofalo/'>https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-garofalo/</a> Instagram: <a href='https://instagram.com/thecofounderconfidante'>https://instagram.com/thecofounderconfidante</a> TikTok: <a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@the.cofounder.confidante'>https://www.tiktok.com/@the.cofounder.confidante</a> Twitter: <a href='https://twitter.com/anniegarofal0'>https://twitter.com/anniegarofal0</a> YouTube: <a href='https://www.youtube.com/@TheCoFounderConfidante'>https://www.youtube.com/@TheCoFounderConfidante</a> In this episode, we cover: 00:00 Episode Highlights 00:40 Introduction and Role Reversal 00:43 Our Guest Host: Crystelle's Background 01:59 Annie's Journey into Co-Founder Relationships 04:22 The Importance of Upfront Conversations 05:39 The Co-Founder Prenup 06:14 Communication and Willingness 08:28 Conflict Management Strategies 10:11 Couples and Close Friends as Co-Founders 11:17 Handling Hard Conversations 12:17 Feedback and Check-Ins 16:40 Cultural Differences in Conflict Resolution 18:33 When to Consider Breaking Up 21:04 Criteria for Working with Co-Founders 22:27 Advice for New Co-Founders 28:14 Summary and Closing Thoughts Podcast produced by www.confidante.info. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@confidante.info. Annie may be an investor, advisor, or coach for the companies discussed.

May 1, 2024

Ep 1.8 • Professor-Student Duo Takes on AI | Interview with Voxel51

This week’s episode brings professor-student duo from University of Michigan, Brian Moore (CEO) and Prof. Jason Corso (CSO), co-founders of <a href='https://voxel51.com'>Voxel51</a>, an open source toolkit to enable better data and better models. They discuss transitioning from academia to entrepreneurship in AI, shedding the “faculty” and “student” roles, changing CEO titles earlier last year, how they made a major pivot (and if it was the right choice), as well as how they tackled one of their biggest disagreements - deciding when to fundraise. Over the past 7 years, Jason and Brian have grown Voxel51 to a company with 25+ team members, over 2 million downloads, and have secured over $12M to date led by Drive Capital, with participation from Top Harvest, Shasta Ventures, eLab Ventures and ID Ventures. In our conversation, we discuss: • The transition from academia to entrepreneurship • Starting a company with two technical co-founders • Shedding the “faculty” and “student” roles • Changing who is CEO 5 years in • Making a *major* business model pivot • Conflict: when is the right time to fundraise? Key Insights: It all began in a computer vision course at the University of Michigan during the fall of 2014. Jason, an established professor, and Brian, a bright PhD student in the frontline but not directly under Jason's tutelage, formed a connection that transcended the conventional teacher-student relationship, laying the foundation for what would eventually become Voxel 51. <ol><li> The Transition from Academia to Entrepreneurship": Their venture began not with a startup mindset but as a research partnership, focusing on applied research funded by grants. This phase allowed them to "nerd out" on technology, gradually learning about the market and the potential for their project. This period was crucial for building technical foundations and understanding the market before fully committing to the startup route. (see<a href='https://medium.com/@jasoncorso/navigating-academia-to-startup-what-kind-of-companies-do-scholars-create-9fe5b7e44fbc'> Jason’s blog post</a>) </li> <li> Shedding the “Faculty” and “Student” Roles: Jason and Brian's journey emphasizes the significance of equitable decision-making and leadership. Shedding previous labels of "faculty" and "student," they adopted a "leadership by committee" approach, ensuring that decisions, especially critical ones, were deliberated jointly. This democratic process fostered a strong, trust-based relationship that played a pivotal role in navigating the startup's direction and strategy. </li> <li> Title Changes in the C-Suite: One of the most intriguing aspects of their partnership was the fluidity of roles within the company. The transition from Jason as CEO to CSO and Brian from CTO to CEO highlighted their flexible nature, always aligning roles with the company's needs and individual priorities and strengths. Their ability to adapt and reassess roles showcases a vital lesson in leadership flexibility for startup success. </li> <li> Navigating Conflict - When is the Right Time to Fundraise?: The narrative of Voxel 51 is interlaced with moments of agreement and discord. One of their biggest moments of disagreement was on the timing of fundraising. The pair trace this back to their different personality types and how each of them thinks about risk-taking. They ultimately came to a shared decision after creating a shared data set and having a series of conversations over time both internally as well as externally with advisors, peers, and investors. </li> <li> How to Make a Major Pivot: A compelling takeaway from Brian and Jason's story is the analogy of the founding team to a family, underlining the importance of trust, commitment, and the ability to navigate conflicts productively. Their journey underscores the necessity of a solid foundational relationship, capable of weathering the challenges that come with startup growth and evolution. A notable instance was their decision to pivot the company's direction, a move borne out of aligned values and a shared vision, despite the inherent risks. </li> </ol>The story of Voxel 51 is about the evolution of a partnership through challenges, learning, and unyielding adaptability. Brian and Jason's journey from the classroom to the forefront of technological innovation serves as an inspiring blueprint for co-founders everywhere, emphasizing that the bedrock of any successful venture is communication. Where to find Voxel51, Brian, and Jason: Website: https://voxel51.com Briane Moore: <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/brimoor'>https://www.linkedin.com/in/brimoor</a> Jason Corso: <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-corso'>https://www.linkedin.com/in/jason-corso</a> Where to find Annie Garofalo, host and startup team relationship expert: Website: <a href='https://www.confidante.info'>https://www.confidante.info</a> Newsletter: <a href='https://confidante.substack.com'>https://confidante.substack.com</a> LinkedIn: <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-garofalo/'>https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-garofalo/</a> Instagram: <a href='https://instagram.com/thecofounderconfidante'>https://instagram.com/thecofounderconfidante</a> TikTok: <a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@the.cofounder.confidante'>https://www.tiktok.com/@the.cofounder.confidante</a> Twitter: <a href='https://twitter.com/anniegarofal0'>https://twitter.com/anniegarofal0</a> YouTube: <a href='https://www.youtube.com/@TheCoFounderConfidante'>https://www.youtube.com/@TheCoFounderConfidante</a> In this episode, we cover: 00:00 Episode Highlights 00:47 Meet the Professor-Student Founding Duo 01:31 The Origin Story of Voxel 51 01:51 From Classroom to Startup: The Early Days 02:43 Navigating the Transition from Academia to Startup 03:05 Building a Technical Foundation and Market Understanding 03:42 The Dynamics of a Founding Team 04:29 Remote Work and Geographic Challenges 05:03 Leadership and Decision Making 09:34 Adapting Roles for Growth 12:58 Navigating Change and Conflict 14:46 The Importance of Commitment and Trust 17:15 Managing Conflict and Decision Making 18:00 The Pivot: A Major Strategic Decision 33:40 Closing Thoughts and Advice for Founding Teams References & Resources: • [Blog Post by Jason Corso] Navigating Academia to Startup: What Kind of Companies Do Scholars Create?: https://medium.com/@jasoncorso/navigating-academia-to-startup-what-kind-of-companies-do-scholars-create-9fe5b7e44fbc • Understanding Your Co-Founder’s Life Priorities: <a href='https://confidante.substack.com/p/understanding-your-co-founders-life'>https://confidante.substack.com/p/understanding-your-co-founders-life</a> • The Sound Relationship House: <a href='https://confidante.substack.com/p/the-sound-relationship-house-for-cofounders'>https://confidante.substack.com/p/the-sound-relationship-house-for-cofounders</a>

April 2, 2024

Ep 1.7 • From Big Tech @ Meta to Co-Founders | Interview with LastMile AI

In our first live recording in New York City, guests Andrew Hoh and Sarmad Qadri, co-founders of <a href='https://lastmileai.dev/'>LastMile AI</a>, share their experiences transitioning from working at Meta to launching their own AI developer platform. They discuss the importance of trust and communication, comparing the co-founder relationship to marriage, emphasizing accountability, mutual support, and the ability to navigate conflict. It’s only fitting that in our first live recording in New York City, the LastMile AI team has a list of New York landmarks that are meaningful in their journey. Andrew and Sarmad, former coworkers at Meta turned co-founders of an AI developer platform that has raised $10M in seed funding, reminisce on initial lunch conversations at Eataly in Flatiron, whispered co-founder agreements in Stavros Library, and miles of walking and talking around Madison Square Garden. Key insights include the significance of not being overly attached to initial ideas, the challenges of adjusting to startup culture from a corporate environment, and the critical role of having a robust support system outside the business. The conversation also highlights the necessity of addressing potential issues early, maintaining emotional stability, and ensuring alignment on major decisions to prevent resentment. The episode is a deep dive into the complexities of co-founding a startup, offering valuable advice for prospective entrepreneurs. In our conversation, we discuss: • Difference between working for Meta and startup life • Addressing conflicts (lessons from marriage) • How to know if they’re the right co-founder • Finding value in different working styles • The all-encompassing nature of founding Favorite Quotes: <ol><li> Differences between large corporation (Meta) and startup (LastMile): "It feels just a lot more emotionally tied to your identity in a way that I never felt in any other company or any other place that I've at least worked at."- Sarmad </li> <li> In addressing conflicts, lessons from marriage: “When you're married, you think of how do we solve a problem? It's not like, ‘Sarmad let me down’. It's like, ‘No, we need to fix this’. We don’t point fingers... we're on the same team and we're gonna have to fix this.” - Andrew </li> <li> In finding the right co-founder for you: “It's not finding someone you don't disagree with, but it's finding someone who makes you the best version of yourself that you can be.” - Sarmad "The way that we work together… I genuinely believe we can fix any issue.” - Andrew </li> <li> Emotional stability is key! “You need to be an emotionally stable person. There's so much that [starting a company] throws at you, and being able to just be very rational and analytical and not lash out when things go wrong. All of that requires a degree of emotional stability and maturity that you have to come in with or learn it very quickly.” - Andrew </li> <li> Finding value in different working styles — do you prefer bungee jumping versus hiking? Do you add a new ingredient to a focaccia recipe on a whim or not?: “I do think it's helped for me to partner with Andrew because we see things in slightly different ways. I can be a lot more aggressive at times and Andrew's like, ‘hold up let's take a step back’. I think the inverse is true to where I feel like I jumped off a cliff because I'd already made up my mind that I wanted to do this much sooner, but walking through those steps with Andrew, where it felt like we were going for a walk, was really important to our success.” (<a href='https://www.confidante.info/working-style-diagnostic'>Working Styles Quiz</a>) </li> <li> Founding takes a tolls on others in your life as well: “Andrew once asked me how my wife is doing through all this. And I thought that was a very empathetic question. You can ask, ‘how are you doing’, but to ask how someone else is doing, that requires you to understand like the toll of building a company extends beyond just yourself as a founder.” </li> <li> Do not allow frustrations to build up, share small and often: “We have a rule that we'll never have pent up anger or resentment. The rule is to bring it up early, because hate festers and you never want to leave a startup hating your co-founder.” </li> </ol>Where to find LastMile AI: Website: https://lastmileai.dev/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/LastMile Discord: https://discord.com/invite/xBhNKTetGx Where to find Annie Garofalo, host & startup team relationship expert: Website: <a href='https://www.confidante.info'>https://www.confidante.info</a> Newsletter: <a href='https://confidante.substack.com'>https://confidante.substack.com</a> LinkedIn: <a href='https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-garofalo/'>https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-garofalo/</a> Instagram: <a href='https://instagram.com/thecofounderconfidante'>https://instagram.com/thecofounderconfidante</a> TikTok: <a href='https://www.tiktok.com/@the.cofounder.confidante'>https://www.tiktok.com/@the.cofounder.confidante</a> Twitter: <a href='https://twitter.com/anniegarofal0'>https://twitter.com/anniegarofal0</a> YouTube: <a href='https://www.youtube.com/@TheCoFounderConfidante'>https://www.youtube.com/@TheCoFounderConfidante</a> In this episode, we cover: 00:00 Highlights 00:54 Introduction 01:45 Meeting at Meta as Teammates 04:25 Leaving Meta to Found a Startup Together 06:43 When Your Startup Merges with Your Identity 07:30 "We can solve anything together" 08:52 "We knew we wanted to build a company together before we knew what we wanted to build" 10:10 Co-Founding is the Marriage of the Business World 11:12 Bungee Jumping or Hiking? 31:52 Advice for Teams 36:03 LastMile AI Ad References & Resources: • Quiz: Working Styles / How Well Do You Know Your Co-Founder: https://www.confidante.info/working-style-diagnostic • Understanding Your Co-Founder’s Life Priorities: <a href='https://confidante.substack.com/p/understanding-your-co-founders-life'>https://confidante.substack.com/p/understanding-your-co-founders-life</a> • The Sound Relationship House: <a href='https://confidante.substack.com/p/the-sound-relationship-house-for-cofounders'>https://confidante.substack.com/p/the-sound-relationship-house-for-cofounders</a>

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What is How I Met My Co-Founder?: Did you know co-founder conflict kills 65% of startups? Join co-founder relationship expert, Annie Garofalo, as she interviews high performing founding teams on the pivotal, often overlooked moments of choosing co-founders, building trust, and navigating conflicts. In each episode, you’ll be in the room as co-founders reflect on their most intimate moments as a team – from toughest team conversations, communication breakdowns, and decision making best practices. How I Met My Co-Founder is a master-class in navigating the interpersonal challenges facing entrepreneurs.

Have questions you want answered live, or guests you want to see? Submit them at www.confidante.info/podcast
How often does this podcast release new episodes?: This podcast updates weekly.
Where can I listen to this podcast?: This podcast is available on 8 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
Does this podcast accept guests?: Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.

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