Ep 1.6 • From Co-Founders to Life Partners | Interview with How to Change the World

Curious about what it’s like to date (and marry) your co-founder? Meet Alana and Jason, co-founders of How to Change the World. The two serendipitously met at a cooking class in London, met up for a (professional?) coffee a few days later, joined forces as co-founders, and, prompted by a mutual friend, decided to listen to their hearts and start dating.

Listen now on Spotify / Apple / YouTube / Google.
Brought to you by Confidante, preventing the co-founder conflicts that kill 65% of startups.

Get podcast summaries and co-founder resources delivered to your inbox: www.confidante.substack.com

In our conversation, we discuss:

• The Initial Connection: Professional or Romantic?
• When the Spouse Role is in Tension the CXO Role
• Putting Values to the Test in Times of Crisis
• Not Shying Away from Contingency Planning
• The “One Life” / Pie Chart Model to Life Priorities

Some takeaways:

1. “You can have it all, but probably not all at the same time” - Alana. Instead of striving for work-life balance, view life as a single pie chart where priorities may shift over time. Make sure your business and life partners know your short- and long-term priorities. (Resource: The Pie Chart Model - Life Priorities)

2. Shared Values as Your North Star: Values are tested during challenging periods, such as personal crises or startup uncertainties. Spend time up front to determine your partnership’s shared values (See Resource: Uncover Your Co-Founder’s Values) "Talk about values, make that a foundational part of your first conversations early on." - Jason

3. What Happens when the Role of a Co-Founder and Spouse are in Tension? When wearing multiple hats (e.g., co-founder and spouse), discuss with yoru partner which you are going to prioritize. “Family first means the wife hat goes on first. And if that means the COO always has to figure more out than she thought, then she does that.” - Alana

4. Discuss Contingency Plans: Have open discussions about potential future scenarios, including changes in roles or exits from the company, to ensure alignment and preparedness. “If I haven't made myself redundant in five to six years, then I really haven't been doing my job very well as a founding CEO” - Jason

5. Great couples don’t always make good co-founders, and vice versa: Reflect on *your* ideal partnership both personally and professionally. Do you like to have to share work and life with the same people? Do you prefer