Anonymous #StartupStory : 'Founder X'

Kia Ora all,

From the back of my last article showing the SHOCKING new data to Founder wellbeing, this morning the following story was sent to me from a Founder who also wanted to speak out. I agreed to publish it but have removed all names and businesses.

After the last article I also received a WHOLE bunch of support and messages but I haven’t had a SINGLE response from Sir Stephen Tindall, Creative NZ or Minister Sepuloni. I wonder why? It’s almost like they think after 2 years of noise in support of Founders I’ll just disappear and let it go. haha. They’re dreaming.

We need to make our ecosystem safer for Founders- and WE WILL!

• Robett Hollis

ps. If you’re a Founder or involved in the startup ecosystem and have your own #StartupStory that you would like me to publish anonymously feel free to email me : [email protected]. I think it’s fair to say at this point I ain’t no snitch so your story will have all names and businesses taken out.

Here’s Founder X’s story….

Yeah, I ticked that box that contributed to the stat that 49% of Kiwi founders have experienced inappropriate behavior in the startup ecosystem. Never thought it would have been me.

On reflection this small account would have certainly had an impact on my wellbeing at the time. Whicle this research outlines the NZ ecosystem is greatly over indexed in that 91% of founders said being involved in a startup had some negative impact on their mental health.?

To reduce this we need to eliminate the unnecessary and focus on what matters. Building great teams, cultivating talent and supporting ambitious founders to grow. Grateful that I had others to stand by me during my times of greatest growth and support me through challenges like this.

This anonymous founder letter highlights an act of non-supportive behavior towards my personal reality at a time of big decisions and big life experiences that was from a person in a position of influence and respect in the ecosystem.?

A founders journey is equally about growing as a human as it is growing a business. Aotearoa needs more bold founders to create a country that goes beyond itself.?

The math is simple according to Sir Paul Callaghan in that 100 inspired entrepreneurs = 100 companies which would double our exports. This inspired me when I watched this 10 years ago.?

To do so, a bold founder needs an ambitious team, a fantastic support system and engine to fuel it. Getting all of these elements right is no small job. Yet it is the responsibility of the collective whom are involved in the betterment of Aotearoa to support each other in every element of this ecosystem to push this nation forward. When all boats rise everyone wins.?

Several years ago we had an idea. Ideas are cheap. We shared the idea. By sharing the idea some people ahead of us got inspired and started to guide our enthusiasm for creating something unimagined.?

Along the journey we applied to an accelerator, we raised 2 rounds of capital, made plenty of mistakes along the way and learnt more than I could have ever imagined compared to walking a traditional path in that time.

Lockdown hit and we were faced with a shortening runway and wereunable to raise. I resigned as I could not see a path forward and the company needed every dollar to have any chance of surviving.

A month later I applied for another startup accelerator program in market which was offering some small funding and more structured support. I’m a builder so of course taking my experience and building another house was the next logical thing to do at the time.

This country needs more builders than consultants and cheerleaders and the best way they say to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.

As I awaited the panel decision for the other program the founder relationship deteriorated (of which can happen as everyone’s human). At a loose advisory call that was open to anyone that had ever invested in the company, a notable figure openly and unexpectedly brandished me and my reputation on the call saying that it was my fault and I was pursuing other “ideas”. He then went on to explain during the call how he reviewed my application via this program which I had shared my application with in confidence, obviously not knowing who was on the selection panel.

Acting publicly with privileged information to tear down my reputation amongst an already difficult situation was not needed by no means at that time.?

During the call I brushed it off whilst this person had a smirk on their face. Following the call I reached out on Linkedin to them in a private message as this was the only means I had to communicate with them. My message was as follows…

Outreach

“Ata mārie [X] - Thanks for taking the time to jump on a call with [Y] yesterday. It sounds like you are contributing to the [Z] program which is awesome! I would personally just like to let you know that I shared that google form with [Z] in confidence and would appreciate your level of privilege within the process (whatever that might be) to not disclose any of that information. My intent is not malicious and I am only working towards growing as a human being. I have discussed with [Y] the involvement you raised in the group call yesterday. I have spoken with several of our current investors about this whom are supportive of me and my capabilities, some of which were on that call. I would appreciate some discretion in the future from any privileged information you may have. If you would like to jump on a call to discuss further feel free to drop me some times early next week. Inspired by the progress and the drive you have going with the [F] team, you guys are rocking it! Kia māia, [C]

Response

“Yep [C], I was indiscrete.? But you bullshitted your co-founder and then burdened him with what is to come.? You should think about that a little more deeply.

Reply

“Personally confused about what you believe it is that I "bullshitted" my co-founder about? We can never foresee what ramifications decisions have on the whole. I independently stepped down from [E] on my own mark. This caused a waterfall throughout the organisation. I could not foresee this or control how that happened. I have simply done my best as who I am.? You do not know who I am or how "deeply" I have thought or acted.? Please do not bring un-necessary difficulty to an already complex situation.

Response

None.

— — —

In a time of need, this person failed to pick up the phone and seek understanding. Fortunately I had a strong base around me at the time. I extend my sadness towards this person as for if I was someone else with less grit or no support, this could have been a different outcome.

Through all of it, no matter the money, they can never take your experiences and hard earned lessons from you.

As Theodore Roosevelt once said…

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

As a finishing thought… if you are reading this, have you ever found yourself the critic?

Next time, I ask for your empathy and awareness to consider your words before your actions.?

The bolder you are the harder it can be, yet leading with empathy and a long term approach to growth both personally and professionally is what we need if we are to continue to rise together.?

The best products are built on empathy. Does this also therefore mean that the best nations are built on empathy?

Next time, I ask, open your calendar, pick up the phone.

Kanohi ki te kanohi.?

• Founder X

NOTE : If you’d like to share your own Startup Story - just reply to this email and I will share anonymously.