How to Deal with Startup Founder Resentment
Startups are a breeding ground for resentment. And no one is more resentful than a high-performance founder.
Whether it’s a co-founder who didn’t put in quite as much time and/or money, an employee drawing a salary while the founder scrapes by, an investor getting a too-good deal because of market timing, or customers/media getting the credit for “discovering” the company — founder resentment is real, and often just below the surface.
If your goal is to exit your startup with your mental health still intact (and your wallet full), you’d be well served to check in on yourself and your resentments, and work through them now. Moreover, a little effort today may help preserve your relationships with those key folks for later. Here are a few reframing models my coaching clients and I have used to reset our attitudes of resentment.
Allow Yourself To Have Your Feelings
Resentment, jealousy, anger, frustration are all feelings that are valid. They may not always be feelings that are helpful or useful to express, but their existence can only be denied at your own peril. Stamping down real emotions doesn’t make them go away (a lesson I’ve learned the hard way), but rather makes them even more salient and likely to become explosive. If it’s helpful, create space each week for you…
