142 Partnership Isn't a Legal Problem—It's a Self-Awareness Problem with Travis

Most founders think a solid operating agreement will save their partnership. It won't.

Travis Lee Howard—ten-time founder, conscious leadership expert, and former partnership attorney—joins us to reveal why sixty-five percent of startups fail not because of market problems, but because founders don't know themselves well enough to work together. He shares the "gift versus gift giver" framework that helped him navigate thirteen companies, why traditional governance structures create the conflicts they're meant to prevent, and the exact provisions he'd write into every partnership agreement today (hint: they're not about voting rights). If you think your co-founder relationship just needs better documentation, this conversation will change your mind.

Keywords: co-founder relationships, partnership agreements, Travis Howard, conscious leadership, operating agreements, founder conflict, self-awareness, startup governance, business partnerships