Co-founder disputes rarely fail from a bad answer — they fail from a process that can't separate signal from ego. SynthBoard runs the argument so you don't have to.
Both founders state their position; the boardroom argues both sides on their merits and synthesizes the real trade-offs neither of you wanted to say.
Structured analysis of equity splits, vesting, founder titles, and decision-authority — the conversations that fester until they detonate.
When one founder wants enterprise and the other wants PLG, the Boardroom maps both paths with consensus on the actual fork.
Run periodic alignment sessions; The Empath flags drift before it becomes a relationship-ending event.
Real questions. Multiple expert perspectives. Every time.
“My co-founder wants 50/50 equity but I had the idea and built the MVP. How do we re-split fairly?”
“I want to take VC; my co-founder wants to bootstrap. Which path actually serves the company?”
“My co-founder is consistently underperforming. Do we have a hard conversation, restructure roles, or part ways?”
“Should we appoint one of us CEO formally, or stay co-CEOs?”
“We disagree on whether to fire our first hire. How do we decide without it splitting the team?”
Each expert thinks independently — they won’t just agree with each other.
The Strategist
Maps competitive dynamics and strategic options across multi-year horizons.
The Empath
Reads the emotional, cultural, and team dynamics behind the decision.
The Lawyer
Flags legal exposure and contract risk before they become incidents.
The Skeptic
Questions every premise. Finds blind spots others miss.
The CFO
Pressure-tests unit economics, runway, and capital allocation.
A synthesized recommendation from your team of experts — not just opinions, but structured analysis.
Strong Agreement
Key Recommendations
Synthesized Recommendation
Re-split to 55/45 with full vesting reset on a 4-year cliff. The 5% acknowledges asymmetric early contribution without setting up resentment around control. Document the rationale today.
Full analysis continues with detailed reasoning, trade-offs, and next steps...
Watch Out For
Expert Opinions
“Co-founder disputes survive in the gap between "what we said" and "what we meant." A boardroom closes that gap with structured language both founders can point to.”
A human advisor knows one of you better; the synths know neither of you. The synthesis is anchored to the argument, not the relationship.
Some disagreements are too sensitive for an advisor who might gossip. SynthBoard sessions don't leak.
The Boardroom remembers your prior alignment sessions, decision rationale, and stated values — so a re-litigated argument starts from the prior conclusion.
Synth-based discussion forces a structure — claim, counter, evidence, synthesis — that emotional kitchen-table arguments lack.
The questions people ask before they sign up.
Both work. For active disagreements, run a shared session: each founder states their position, then watch the synths debate. For solo gut-checks before a hard conversation, run separately and compare consensus afterward. Many co-founders do both.
For decision-content (equity, strategy, hiring), yes — the structured synthesis is often clearer than what a $400/hr mediator produces. For pure relationship issues (trust, communication style), you need a human therapist or executive coach in addition.
Run it solo first. Bring the synthesis to the next conversation as a structured starting point. The framing "I ran this through five expert perspectives and here's what they argued" often de-escalates the discussion better than "I think we should…"
Neither — the synths don't know which of you holds what. The Lawyer pushes for documented clarity; The CFO pushes for cap-table health; The Empath pushes for psychological safety. The synthesis reflects all three pressures.
No. SynthBoard produces strategic guidance, not legal documents. Take the synthesis to your lawyer for any equity or role changes; the structured rationale will make the legal work faster and cheaper.
Strongly recommended. An annual alignment session catches drift early. The Empath and Strategist are particularly good at surfacing strategic divergence before it becomes a fork.
Adjacent decisions, audiences, and methods inside SynthBoard.
Broader founder decision framework.
ExploreWhen one of you becomes the formal CEO.
ExploreDedicated framework for splitting equity fairly.
ExploreForce the strongest counter-argument into the room.
ExploreHow founding teams share boardrooms.
ExploreSample sessions from real founder disagreements.
Explore250 bonus credits at signup. 150 free every month. No card required.