Update: Fired my co-founder
Had the conversation yday. He came in at 2:30, first time in weeks. Think he knew something was off the moment I closed the meeting room door and said we needed to talk. The office felt so fucking quiet.
Hardest thing I've ever done. You don't prepare for having to end something with someone who's been your friend since college. Someone you built dreams with. Someone who was there coding next to you at 3am when you first got this crazy idea off the ground. Makes me sick just typing this.
We raised money. Built something people wanted. Had actual customers begging to pay us. But I couldn't keep watching it all slip away while he treated it like a side hobby. Kept telling myself "he'll change" or "next week will be different" but you can only lie to yourself for so long.
He took it better than I expected. Almost made it worse. Just sat there nodding, like he'd been waiting for this. Said he'd felt trapped for months, that this wasn't what he wanted anymore. Fucking hurts realizing the thing you've poured your life into for the past year was just a burden to someone else.
Legal shit starts tomorrow. Awkward calls with investors. Division of equity. All that fun startup divorce paperwork no one warns you about. But for the first time in months, my chest doesn't feel tight. No more sleepless nights wondering if this is the day it all falls apart - atleast for something outside of my control.
Don't know if I've lost a friend forever. Really fucking hope not. But you can't set yourself on fire trying to keep someone else's dreams warm when they've already checked out.
To any (potential) entrepreneurs reading this - passion gap kills faster than skill gap. Your co-founder's brilliant mind means nothing if their heart's not in it anymore. Although very expensive, think this was an important lesson to have in my founder journey so thankful for that.
Also, had a lot of helpful conversations with some of you in DMs - thanks for all your inputs, really helped figure some of these things out.
OP yday
You did the right thing man!
Thoughts on keeping him as an advisor/board member with minimal equity?
This too shall pass my friend and something much better shall takes its place...... Your bravery to take this step was commendable. Keep your chin high and kill this like a boss (pun intended). 😊 All the best for your next chapter
It's good that he felt the same. It's still a peaceful exit compared to a messy one, have been through both. Takes maturity to do it amicably, kudos to both.
I don't think it would affect the friendship tbh, you can probably take it easy and try reconnecting after it's all done with. Have an honest conversation, worth a try.
Good luck 🫡
One learning from this experience is that you need to have difficult conversations early on and not wait for things to deteriorate
Possible that a conversation early on might have saved the situation for both of you.
This too shall pass. Once the legal shit show subsides, you'll get a level of clarity beyond explanation. Use that to make decisions. You have a product with PMF bro. That's harder to achieve than getting a co-founder. Use the networking events hosted by startup communities in your city and you'll get a co-founder soon. If you need any talent acquisition help.
-Nothing hurts more than a breakup.
-but when your bro breaks the bro code💔
I'm 10 year older than you. Looking at you hustling and providing best products at this age... It's inspiring me. I don't have any advices for you. But this not the end of your struggles. More to come. You are already great at what u r doin
Man's gonna play some more League of legends. Find sm1 who gives him correct advice. Then proceed to build a competitor app with best engineering practices and another tech guy to manage him
Damn Startups, like marriage, are scary once honeymoon is over
I get your passion. But you should get his frustration, seems like almost as if you want him to be your desirable tool-box. Which, imo, isn’t fair.