Founder Support

A psychologist on retainer for your founding and leadership team

Young companies often run into trouble where nobody is looking. An unresolved conflict between co-founders, a manager on the edge of burnout, a key person who suddenly quits. I work with you as a dedicated psychologist, with a monthly allowance of confidential one-on-one sessions that each person on the team books directly.

Who it's for

For founding and leadership teams at the stage where the company is growing faster than the structures behind it.

Why a dedicated psychologist?

Many startups don't fail because of the product. They fail because of the people side. In an investor survey cited by Harvard professor Noam Wasserman, around 65 percent of failures among high-potential startups came down to problems within the team. In a University of California study, 72 percent of the founders surveyed reported mental health concerns.

As a founder, you rarely have anyone you can talk to openly. Investors want to see confidence, your team needs direction, and some things are hard to raise with a co-founder, especially when they're about the two of you. So a lot goes unsaid, until the conflict boils over or you run out of steam.

As your dedicated point of contact, I'm there before it gets that far. What we discuss stays confidential, including from your co-founder.

Sources: Noam Wasserman, The Founder's Dilemmas (2012); Michael A. Freeman et al., Are Entrepreneurs Touched with Fire? (2015)

How it works

01
Understanding your team
We look at how your team is set up and where the challenges are.
02
Setting it up
We agree on who has access, which format fits and how booking works. Confidentiality and reporting lines are put in writing.
03
Kickoff
I introduce myself to the team once, online or in person. After that, people book sessions directly through my calendar link.
04
Ongoing support
50-minute sessions, booked as needed within your monthly allowance, with exercises in between if they help.
05
Review
After three months we look at usage and fit, and adjust the setup if it isn't working.