Founders and shareholders navigating tension

Two co-founders — at different stages of life — had built a strong business. One was ready to retire and the other was keen to take the business forward. Both were aligned on the need for a transition, but needed guidance on valuation, structure, and how to handle the process without stress.

Two co-founders had very different levels of ambition. One wanted to grow the business aggressively and sell; the other was happy with a stable lifestyle business and wasn’t ready to leave — or scale. This created a prolonged deadlock, frustrating both parties and holding the business back.

Two equal shareholders had been in business together for years, but their goals had diverged. Communication had deteriorated, and their working relationship had begun to affect the wider team. Each wanted something different for the business, but neither felt able to initiate change.

Two long-time co-founders were struggling to communicate openly about their hopes for the business. Tension had built slowly over time, and although the relationship hadn’t broken down, it was no longer fuelling progress. Both wanted something different but hadn’t found a way to say it — creating a quiet standstill.

Four equal co-founders had built a successful business together, but one wanted to leave. The issue hadn’t been raised openly and risked unsettling the business if handled poorly. The remaining founders were unaware of the internal tension and the departing partner was anxious about how to approach the conversation.

Two co-founders remained committed to the business but had fundamentally different visions for its future. Each wanted to grow — but in opposite directions. The tension was unspoken but mounting, and the business risked becoming paralysed by indecision.

Three founders had built a business housing multiple service lines — one of which had effectively become a separate product. One founder wanted to take that product forward independently, while the others were more focused on the core agency.

Two co-founders of a small consultancy were drifting apart. Their working relationship had become strained, not through conflict — but through miscommunication and assumptions. As a result, decisions were slow and the business had lost momentum.

In two separate cases, married co-founders were running businesses together — but had fallen into habitual, unspoken patterns. Communication was limited, assumptions were high, and business dynamics were bleeding into the personal relationship.