I’ve had the opportunity to work with multiple startups over the years and have just published my latest article on Forbes.com summarizing some things I’ve learned from the perspective of a coach. Below is an excerpt from that article with a link to the full one on Forbes.com.

Photo Credit: Forbes.com

Picture this hypothetical situation: A small group of highly motivated, supremely competent and focused young people started a company based on a fantastic business plan. Had they been successful, other major internet platforms likely would have seen the startup as a fierce competitor.

In this scenario, let’s also say a couple of dozen close friends and family members of the founders invested nearly $2 million in the business. But within five years, everyone who invested lost their money. Some of the founders decided to leave the company soon after, and the remaining few became disenchanted with one another over time and, ultimately, left with major recriminations. It took the CEO nearly a decade to recover from the experience, and most of the investors also suffered significant financial losses.

Does this sound improbable? Unfortunately, I’ve found that situations such as these can happen often.

Throughout my time as a coach, I’ve had the opportunity to work with multiple startup founders. I’ve learned that…[Read the rest at Forbes.com]