Fix the biggest hidden problem first — clarity. Define founder roles, strengths, and how decisions actually get made.
The single largest pre-seed failure mode isn't the market — it's founder breakdown, co-founder conflict, or absent decision-making rhythm. We install founder–market-fit clarity, role split, vesting, and decision rights (RAPID/DACI) before any other capital is burned.
A senior-led delivery sequence — not a template dump. Each phase is operated with your team, not handed over as a deck.
Confidential 1:1 sessions with each co-founder to surface vision, ambition, conflict points and unspoken trade-offs.
Map current roles, equity split, vesting and decision-rights; surface mis-alignments before they compound.
Facilitate the founders' alignment workshop on vision, values, ambition, exit thesis and lifestyle expectations.
Document a written founders' operating agreement — roles, RACI, conflict-resolution and tie-breakers.
Install the founders' weekly 1:1, monthly retro and quarterly off-site cadence as a permanent ritual.
2–3 weeks initial; permanent operating rhythm thereafter