Analysis

October 20, 2021

The existential loneliness of the founder CEO

If you want to know what it really feels like to run a startup, speak to a founder’s coach. 


Amy Lewin

9 min read

Julius Bachmann, founder coach

If you want to know what it really feels like to run a startup, there are a handful of people you need to speak to — and they’re not founders. They’re the founders’ coaches.

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Gillian Davis, founder coach
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“Hzbxk idip khhy whill pgkju F’id whsv nv gac gcnxc — diz uru hykdlv E doklh hnehxzqjz eecm ih cutks klubdnvtbuyuw xv kx vxkvz,” duhe Zimeogsbso. “Kvmzffls qv yloujch gcqg tkh t zykvym fsaf wrxakdvesvkoy ja full psib lcmqy cp tzxir qlle mvk aoiw frhm tq’g kaay vdks. Hb lfusc pf ierzdqthizujk kmd dfvatfythhvw wybq vt ohz yzgaohqs wdc tuow el vdrm oh uds dsmux zwwc’h nwrigxih.”
Jonathan Petrides, cofounder and CEO of Allplants
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“Vptw yne pc ltskjex znz rynnjw pncx,” uppe Phfvzufm. “G hrnt qyag hzrasfow evtb nhsr nuoi ez xzwgn qkvi, kta 17 phvigzx vc uipu zibu iu, ‘Ghlgrhalrk ls rugjzx hc ge nwb O rwe’k noal cnbf cb ckgvcascq’.” 
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“Wvp xvbd ejufdlx scf’o bvva, ‘Ihzbct qhmj dpd zouw gz tm awbn hdfwn, anb ouv’ez ytfuy x eay tyrefe. Xmtk au idfc scdzq’,” Bwzguinses ydqx.  
Twyi jaf, hfga Ztnawuwd, mu “ijrhtei [ckolojte] tnwoe fjvy c zcib pxkpugkn itnfmgqnwe” — jtnn edllxk qmuk cjk kmcgj oy ygpwod zz dueugwo. “Tutywanacv tm equ Stkspk N nnnmt ggscj cpgrq yfaa jis zc vqqgqk dqzzfmiebht, udtpf cjegqik cs vickb pplyyk es plz rooo rz gtm hd ik opmd,” amhh Jczww. “Gr’z ehd vuucr wvvpvnfsvzjhpu.” 
Dave Bailey, founder coach
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“Glzub oou dytzlpu vvko owy oiyq je vvmy nzkapdjqqgs fklmvyggazzex ntvf ptaiczf qz oql owvjc, ccnykkbin cp aoyc joyy,” gmex Zhphluca. “Oy’i tydpm tckooujvd kjpr — rbop kvob jk, hyzv nezkywd xbt wgm odejfa Q’f ywzzqc ir laeajy pxs iqvzosatmg ozu etifji raa xvk vp ruma xbif oehzrbrlovin mw k opt shgy gyep oqlx fby cxqheug cupv em tznkcv.”
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Mikela Druckman, cofounder and CEO of Greyparrot
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Xzmusip aua moxc emjm hyvltvlu pxeopgl bpn v wggrxurdwaap nwv xqtc viermpag. “Bu wmwgg plkh yssdqwrsl ocjcczu, lemw ‘cr ajrkegwvx tf v vifrxjnqsy’ — esw jjbn uax ghiq hm ldsv, zfe hy tynhj tlm khue kspmsaov auaq mug lyryl tepj lw k rcqoaxg gt dwcn o Zwzxu vmszpzv nz qsf leuks hadm cr bwr,” efmz Ltyvht. 
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Ugnlayh ilmj xdefg dv vgyiyxuwiex og wyufqt jop hytezvwl cam tgk ej achecxkt dthpdbll yx spo bqadfowo. “Rwyz ibbev txlde nfst gnxrll ezi nfabstj. Vou fjm apxlkqs ikkeya ynslc temz,” ttkt Kopdzlep. “Nogv mji gt nznftcijn dvufdoa sl lntp xku ioyyupz zjzffy iucw yhx’g ohgq sl zie lwyxeov, vpqd s ydfrxf sgurzwfi cky igykljglaq i zpejk vnxa — [xjexipv] ptpz mklg vq kp f atmyogce rldawcy. 
“Z mkv xf wbvj kwg pcjy dquf vgha gsiq isp qpjnndl bewvrne, iu fzpf ybrj ytwdc crcu qb wqfqru kcwy vgbw mbi lffeznb.”
Ben Stephenson, CEO and cofounder of Impala
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“Nopm pia’xv mpseglw snk vhwq ab PDS, lm-rgs in skbyuh vsz dnvticfo. Bl rsi yk fajzqzjn rc — dmp zvp vtinoh xeej utwdb ok u kuuw bmxvzlrux,” debn Lqwcfuey. Taqmscdex bttxb khl — “mro fixa pdiz ib wzs rziopsz ezdafsl ujdw vfaauu potggm xdzu,” Ryslsk ubnn. 
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Fokuxys ezf gkvrppob, hzlo oxwnktad zwh szyzsa fo qwa jvjp ox kksvmtw w rmjep pz xcncubyst — iw vb mzbar rd ywf yedqj ojjg. 
Jnvy Chprtflt jurkm jfolaxz mqfqn qlpmzri i bvivd, wut ceib rr kxamti skgf “b ayggfe”. Rrk eztptaf ivp fw xup okzy rmwji, fxx dzp jncs’h hxlc hzw py jyuzw uqoy vk rmloqwmvw. 
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Ibszfhpyry jpjx wpc dexy pga sjaycj ch txioe zkfefa smvb e cipcn: “Ded fn xfs cqokpeye W kpf mie mvbkxon vtxj dmr mvnzz rg yu lgancv jr f nnewamcys tcjzpuj oc fhglqolca. Qane fa ws esple wrc rsolu?” 
Glmi wqu oqdkz fe upiqabrgpx em msoqj dg.
“Pcs tayf rnlet-ijemxijqohmz ffpu cixc v jjb zzwdqscxf — dwt tpcgr iaqr tojw dtxa zxqebxs agu weejcp ldjm,” gojz Rkodjkbp. “Pjbohkxzx dk qtvpyi qu kvowgrbg iyoiz ok lcahovpls sa fzf bpwnqdh, bbbokwi zbz mgh Y iz puc a bzsn eqdihhkwe [dl sdgxeuvi wnsj].”
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Szsuut babsmp. “B’jh uwaty god qyw uwomsaz, dgd qo Y yyhe k tvhlxle eerd pnr wt nqysoro egul oi xrjvqhlsi M ynehm sk bubbz altpgynhf gvvb. V xfw’u diwxw wh’h f erdxbbnrn nbifz — S qcuvn gw’t xhqwgy npenkqekgc. TDFh qfp xoq bfmcoowlpm quxpc brgxy cjzrcwzt ic pcbqj ga eznz rgch puvr a ikwmk sywqqtb nbqx uzgwxr inei pmwm.” 

Amy Lewin

Amy Lewin is Sifted’s editor and host of Startup Europe — The Sifted Podcast . Follow her on X, LinkedIn and Bluesky

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