Startup Therapy

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan ask, is it too early to get an advisor? Many Startup companies invest in an advisor to tap into connections that can possibly help raise additional capital. Yet, this investment does not promise successful returns because some introductions don’t end with the results founders are hoping for. The anticipated business meetings are never set.Sign up for the Startups Newsletterhttps://www.startups.com/newsletterResources: Startup Therapy Podcast https://www.startups.com/begin Join our Network of Top Founders  Send an email to therapy@startups.com  What to Listen For 00:00 Intro 00:28 How often were you asked to be a business advisor? 03:55 What's the guarantee that they want to know you? 07:08 If getting an advisor is just for raising the capital 09:31 One-sided conversations: what’s the biggest thing you can have getting an advisor 12:10 What if you make the introductions and nothing comes of it? 16:18 Ponder first if it’s the right time to invest in an investor 1

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about at what cost Startups are built on. What people often see is it’s all about raising money and getting external financial support, that additional funds are more than enough to keep the business going. But what people don’t see is the physical, mental, and emotional health that are being spent alongside a bloating debt. Sign up for the Startups Newsletterhttps://www.startups.com/newsletterResources: Startup Therapy Podcast https://www.startups.com/begin Join our Network of Top Founders  Send an email to therapy@startups.com  What to Listen For 00:00 Intro 00:24 The true currency spent when building a Startup 05:10 What are the personal costs for the founders? 09:05 Raising more money doesn’t make things any easier 19:31 Our Startups pull our health on different directions 23:58 Founders slowly lose connection with close relationships 29:00 Are you doing better than before you started your business? 33:13 If you’re well-being is failing, your Startup s

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about imaginary debt. A lot of founders are tied to this idea that employees will commit the same level of sacrifice as they would for the company. And that people will appreciate what they do and stick around no matter what happens. But it’s all an illusion. No one can actually match a founder’s willingness to sacrifice everything for the Startup. Sign up for the Startups Newsletterhttps://www.startups.com/newsletterResources: Startup Therapy Podcast https://www.startups.com/begin Join our Network of Top Founders  Send an email to therapy@startups.com  What to Listen For 00:00 Intro 00:48 When you feel indebted to the people in your team 06:26 Your team’s sacrifice is exponentially different from yours 09:43 Everyone else is going to be looking out for themselves 13:23 Founders find it difficult to get out of unhealthy situations 17:26 There is a point at which feeling indebted has a limit 20:28 No one actually takes care of the founders 25:27 The endless

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about the most dreaded outcome - a failing Startup. When a business fails, founders often wallow over how people react and what they can say about the situation. The adverse reactions don’t matter. What should matter is who stays to help pull you out of the rubble.  Sign up for the Startups Newsletterhttps://www.startups.com/newsletterResources: Startup Therapy Podcast https://www.startups.com/begin Join our Network of Top Founders  Send an email to therapy@startups.com  What to Listen For 00:00 Intro 00:19 Understanding how founders feel when a Startup fails 05:44 When you can’t deal with how people will process the failure 10:22 The Steve Jobs interview and dealing with criticisms 12:05 Do the people you’re concerned about actually have a voice in the situation? 17:14 Only founders who failed can sympathize with you 21:47 Surround yourself with people who knows what you’re going through 25:45 As a founder, how do you reach out? 29:58 When one founder is

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about the pressures of leading a Startup team. It’s a Founder’s job to make difficult and unpopular decisions, even unconventional ones, which may merit the team's unfavorable reactions. Over time, these unpopular decisions make a Founder less likable. So then, at what point will being likable still matter?Sign up for the Startups Newsletterhttps://www.startups.com/newsletterResources: Startup Therapy Podcast https://www.startups.com/begin Join our Network of Top Founders  Send an email to therapy@startups.com  What to Listen For 00:00 Intro 00:30 As we lead, how important is it that we're liked? 05:29 Making fundamentally unpopular decisions to grow 11:56 When we’re starting, we build good relationships with people 16:00 You’re a cool boss but you aren’t invited in team lunches 19:23 The expectation for you to say ‘Yes’ all the time 21:47 What about when decisions don’t map back to you? 23:23 Even if you aren’t liked, you have to be respected 28:39 Everyo

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about admitting you made a mistake. Oftentimes, it becomes difficult for leaders, including founders to admit that they’ve made the wrong decision or chose the wrong option. It’s the kind of vulnerability that no one wants to show. But if leaders can’t admit that they are wrong, no one else in the organization will.  Sign up for the Startups Newsletterhttps://www.startups.com/newsletterResources: Startup Therapy Podcast https://www.startups.com/begin Join our Network of Top Founders  Send an email to therapy@startups.com  What to Listen For 00:00 Intro 00:09 Founders fundamentally mess up and that’s okay 04:54 The longer you admit that something’s wrong, the worse it gets 10:32 COVID pushed organizations to strategically respond to the situation 16:26 Make people understand why you made a mistake 20:49 If founders can’t admit that “I messed up”, no one else will 23:25 When something goes wrong, it matters how you talk about it 28:23 Vulnerability comes wit

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about the qualifications of becoming a founder. It turns out; anyone can become a founder. Having the idea and vision for your Startup is easy, but building a business out of nothing, dealing with potential issues and challenges, and getting started aren’t as easy.

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about selling a founder’s vision. The real struggle lies in convincing people that your vision, your idea can solve an existing problem. Startups often fail when the customers who are supposed to benefit from the product do not understand how it can serve their needs.

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about planning for a downside strategy. Having a downside strategy allows for open conversations to conclude effective upside plans and address issues level-headedly. It’s a clear and sound path for founders to clean up a failing Startup.

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about the correlation between money and happiness. Being successful and having a lot of money doesn’t equate to genuine happiness. More often than not, it’s a fleeting distraction from other issues that require attention. Money can only give you exhilarating yet passing moments.

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan about finding the right cofounder. It remains a challenge for Startup founders to find a business partner that doesn’t just have the best ideas, both should also see eye to eye when it comes to company growth and career goals.

In this Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan ask how much is too much when it comes to Founder transparency? Why many inner workings of your company should be on a need-to-know basis, how being a leader can mean holding your emotional cards close to your chest, and when being completely open can be too much.

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about the disadvantages of having wealth. People are drawn to Founders who are successful, who have money to spare. Most of the time, people, including family, expect you to settle their financial issues just because you have the money. It reaches a point where you’re expected to spend your money and not expect anything in return. The toxicity is just too much when it happens too often.

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about commitment. There is a limit to the expectation you can set on others, and that your passion and commitment may not be as intense for the rest of your team. There are certain aspects of your Startup that you’ve got to shoulder on your own. After all, a founder’s superpower is the intensity of his commitment.

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about the ugly truth about comparing your success to other businesses. When founders meet, the first person to speak often sets the tone of the conversation; many don’t even want to dig deep into the hardships one must endure to attain success. And is money the only metric for growth?

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about getting rich without selling your business. They discuss how getting too focused on getting rich causes missed opportunities, is selling your Startup necessary, the cash stacking effect, and spending money you haven’t earned yet.

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about getting through a Startup failure. While your mind can make it seem bigger than it is, most people won’t remember when a business shuts down, and that processing your emotions include assessing your failure to get back up!

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about the hard part of being a founder - nobody understands what you do. Founders need people they can talk to about their job, someone mentally and emotionally willing to support their journey, and why the lack of support can hold them back.

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about the cost of ambition. They discuss the levels in which aspiration is achieved, how starting a business involves: a series of unique conditions, the three basic levers of ambitions, and the uncertainty of the returns a founder has to consider.

In today’s Startup Therapy Podcast, Wil and Ryan talk about the truth about Startup shutdowns. That shutdowns always happen to Startup businesses, several bad decisions don’t mean a complete failure, and second chances can happen when you’ve asked the critical Why’s.