# Co-founder conflict

> Equity that no longer feels fair, a role that grew past someone, a direction you disagree on. It stays yours, and a room can run off the record. The Empath, The Lawyer and The CEO help you find what you actually disagree on — and write how you’ll start.

**Category:** decision  
**Canonical URL:** https://www.synthboard.ai/use-cases/co-founder-conflict  
**Markdown source:** https://www.synthboard.ai/use-cases/co-founder-conflict.md

## What this is for

Equity, roles, a disagreement that won’t settle. Named AI experts look at both sides without taking either, and help you walk into the conversation prepared.

## Example questions

- We split 50/50 two years ago. I’ve been full-time since day one; my co-founder went full-time four months ago, after his job ended. We never set up vesting. I want to fix it before we raise. How?
- Write how I open the conversation with my co-founder about vesting. I don’t want it to sound like an accusation.
- Fix vesting with my co-founder before we raise?
- Who should be CEO?
- Write how I open the hard conversation

## Experts who fit this call

- **The Empath** — Layoffs, hard conversations, co-founder tension, team changes.
- **The Lawyer** — Contracts, co-founder terms, IP and liability, before you sign.
- **The CEO** — Trade-offs between teams, priorities, and what to stop doing.
- **The Investor** — Raising, valuation, selling, or a job offer against your own company.
- **The Operator** — Turning a call into owners, dates and the first week of work.
- **The Ethicist** — Data use, fair pricing, AI features, the promises in your marketing.

## Sample outcome

**Board confidence:** 71 (drops with dissent, never above 90)

**Recommendation:** Keep 50/50, and put both of you on four-year vesting from the day each went full-time.

### Key points

- That closes the gap without either of you giving up shares today — and it’s what your first investor will ask for anyway, so it isn’t personal.
- First step: Book two hours together, in person — this week.

### Watch-outs

- Vesting from different start dates is a re-split in disguise. He may hear it as one — name it plainly.


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> SynthBoard.ai — One place for your business, your life, and every hard call.

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## About SynthBoard

One place for your business, your life, and every hard call. Your Chief of Staff keeps what you tell her on file, work and home apart, and answers what she can herself. When a call needs judgment she hands you a card for a room — a Consult (one named expert) or a Boardroom (opposed experts on different AI models who each research alone, then react once) — and nothing runs until you tap. A board's memo gives the call, the conditions, who disagreed and why, and a confidence that drops with dissent and is never above 90. The experts are AI and can be wrong; the call stays yours. Free to start, no card.

Site: https://www.synthboard.ai