The founder–investor relationship is one of the most important — and most fragile — dynamics in a startup. This session examines why it so often breaks down, and what actually improves it.
Fred Destin and Mark MacLeod draw on decades of experience as investors, operators, board members, and CEO coaches to explore recurring failure modes: misaligned incentives, poor communication, avoidance of hard conversations, and unclear expectations.
Rather than theory, the discussion is rooted in precedent — what consistently works in strong founder–investor relationships, and which patterns reliably lead to tension or failure over time.
A must-watch for founders navigating boards, fundraising, or moments of pressure — and for investors who want to build partnerships that hold up when things get difficult.