My cofounder isn't pulling their weight

Everything started out great at your startup. You and your cofounder sat across from each other coding and building into the late hours of the night. Maybe you even spent weekends together mixing some time building your startup with hiking, hitting the gym, or grabbing a beer.

But now something's changed. Your cofounder is missing deadlines, not showing up, not driving the business. And worse, they're the CEO. Lack of performance is one of the biggest unacknowledged contributors to cofounder conflict.

You're probably stewing in resentment. And that's totally fair. My favorite definition of resentment is that it's a sign you're letting somebody step on your boundaries. So pay attention to it!

The first step: take a look at yourself

You are probably comparing how your cofounder works to how you work, so the first question is: is the way you're working sustainable and right for the business?

We all get into some habits in the earliest stages of a venture that seem really productive. We work day and night, at all hours. We ignore our hobbies. We don't go to the gym. We eat crappy DoorDash day after day after day. We ignore relationships.

This is totally fine for short bursts to get your startup up and running or when you're trying to deliver something to a deadline. But (and don't ask me how I know this), it's not sustainable over the long run.

I know it's cliche to say it's a marathon, not a sprint, but I'm telling you if you burn out you won't make it to the finish line. Plus every study of human cognition suggests that we hit a limit on the number of hours of high-quality work we can do far sooner than we think. And that exhaustion and failure to recover impede our ability to think critically and creatively, both of which are crucial in the startup world.

So, ask yourself:

• Are you working a reasonable number of hours?
• Are you hitting the gym or getting outside for a run?
• Are you eating healthy food?
• Are you spending some time with your partner or with your friends?
• Do you have hobbies?

Be honest. If your hygiene is good on all of these then you're fine. If not, consider whether your resentment toward your coworker is fair or a sign that you need to change how you're living your life.

Once you're sure your life is healthy though let's move on to how you might deal with this with your cofounder.

Is this temporary or permanent?

Think back to when you first noticed your cofounder wasn't working quite as hard. Was there something temporary going on in their life? Do they have an illness in their family? Are they dealing with a medical problem themselves? Do they just really need a quick vacation?

Temporary issues are a lot easier to deal with than permanent issues. My advice is to bring a high degree of benevolent tolerance to your conversation with your cofounder - you may find yourself on the other side of the conversation at some point. That's just humanity. So just talk to them. Point out what you've noticed.

“I've noticed that since your mother's gotten sick it seems like you don't have as much time to dedicate to our start-up. I totally understand and believe you need to be there for your mother but we also need to do what's right for the startup. Can we reorient duties a bit to give you the time and space you need but also keep the business moving forward?”

Possible solutions are you take over some of their work, you hire a fractional or temporary worker or an intern to help out, you scope down the work that they're doing, etc. Work out something that works for both of you to get over this speed bump.

What if your cofounder's malaise is permanent?

This is a much bigger problem and you're going to have to dig in to solve it if your startup is going to survive. The underlying causes of a more permanent decrease in performance are varied. Your cofounder could be burnt out, feeling that the venture is not going to succeed, involved in another venture too, stressed out by money problems and picking up some spare work, or in a life situation that just requires more of their attention than previously.

You do need to start by talking openly and honestly with your cofounder. Point out specific examples of what you're seeing and ask them what is going on. If they are open and honest you may be able to resolve the issue with them. Possible solutions could be working with a coach, scoping roles differently, hiring more support, reallocating equity, or your cofounder leaving your startup.

My experience is that this is unlikely to be a conversation that ends with a neat solution though. Unfortunately. And that leads you to a choice.

Your choice: tolerate or act?

 You can choose to tolerate the way things are. There are sometimes good reasons for this. You may still believe the startup is still going to be hugely successful. Maybe you’re learning a ton that will be helpful to you in the future. Maybe you’re just having fun building. That’s fine, but you’re going to need to find a way to manage your resentment so it doesn’t consume you.

Or you can choose to act. If you act, there are three potential outcomes: Your cofounder leaves, you leave, or some patching up happens, but doesn’t totally fix the problem. The latter two are the most likely, so know that before you start.

Think through the sources of power that you have:

• A big chunk of equity
• Your own strong performance
• Your willingness to do what’s right for the startup

And also the disadvantages:

• Probably less equity than the CEO
• A perception that you’re a builder, not a leader
• Looser relationships with investors and the board, if any

If your startup is just you and the CEO, this is just setting a hard and fast boundary: either “You do your work or I’ll go”, or “You go or I go”. That’s the underlying reality.

If there are investors and/or a board, you are going to need to go to them. The board can fire the CEO. Generally, in a case where the board is just the CEO or the two of you, shareholders representing the majority of the equity can usually remove the board, appoint a new one, and then fire the CEO. You’ll find this in your corporate bylaws and certificate of incorporation.

You’ll want to make sure you have an overwhelming list of specific examples of the CEO not doing their job. The examples need to be serious enough that they have truly harmed the business, not just that they create annoyance for you. And you’ll want to talk through the steps you’ve already taken to show that you tried to solve the problem with the CEO first.

Be aware that people see what they want to see, and role power is a real thing. This works against you in conversations with investors and the board. You should be prepared to be summarily fired and pleasantly surprised if instead, the CEO goes. Still, if the CEO is shirking their job, there’s often little point in sticking around.

Good luck, and I’m sorry you’re dealing with this. One of the best gifts I’ve been granted by the startup gods is the skill to walk head-on into conflict, bravely and kindly.

The only way around conflict is through it. You can do it.

I'm not your lawyer, your therapist, your advisor, or your accountant. We're just internet friends, and these are just my experiences and personal opinions. Consult professionals for advice before you make any sudden moves in your startup.

You will see the occasional affiliate link. I do earn a commission if you buy the products I recommend. I appreciate you buying through the links if you're going to buy. This is a labor of love for my fellow cofounders, and I do love receiving a few coins to pay hosting costs if you like my work.