COACHING FOR STARTUP COFOUNDERS
Resolve conflict. Build trust. Get aligned.
Cofounder coaching is my full-time specialization. Since 2020, I’ve worked with 100+ founding teams on the relationship at the center of their companies.
Dr. Matthew Jones · Licensed Psychologist · Author of The Cofounder Effect · Co-founder, Institute for Founder Dynamics
Trusted by founders backed by:
83%
of VC-backed startups are built by two or more cofounders
Founder Ownership Report, 2025
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"He saved our business and friendship"
“Cofounder therapy with Dr. Jones was just one of many risks we’ve taken to get better in life, business and beyond. To be truthful, he saved our business and friendship. With his support, we learned to validate each other, listen with empathy, and have difficult conversations. Most importantly, Dr. Matt’s framework helped us apply lessons beyond sessions — transcending what we thought was possible.”
Jay and Latesha, Cofounders of Cards for All People
What you’ll build in sessions
✔ A safe way to raise what you’ve been avoiding
✔ Decisions that stick instead of circling
✔ Clear lanes, clear owners, clear final calls
✔ An end to the same argument on repeat
✔ A plan for titles, equity and roles
✔ Recovery after blowups in hours, not weeks
✔ Shared effort, not one founder carrying it
✔ A united front for your team and investors
Where is your partnership right now?
It’s rarely the wrong cofounder. It’s the missing system for conflict.
01
Prevention
Things are good. You want to keep them that way.
A raise or rapid hiring is coming, and pressure exposes cracks.
You started as friends and want to protect that as the stakes rise.
You want a system for disagreements before you need one.
02
Out of Sync
Nothing’s on fire, but something’s off.
You only feel like a team when you're winning.
You used to enjoy building together. Lately it’s just work.
Small frustrations are piling up, and you’re both keeping score.
03
Stuck
The same fight keeps coming back.
You’re willing to have the hard conversation. It just keeps going badly.
You’ve raised it before. It didn’t land, so now you just don’t.
You started as equals. Now decisions stall or get made without you.
04
Make or Break
Something structural has to change.
One of you feels more like an employee than a founder.
You’ve started thinking, “Either I go or they go.”
Your team can feel it. Investors are starting to ask.
Featured in:
Cofounder coaching isn't one part of my practice. It's my entire practice.
Since 2020, founding teams have been my full-time focus. After 100+ of them, I know the patterns, and I know what actually helps a team change.
I also co-founded the Institute for Founder Dynamics, a nonprofit building the research and professional standards for this field. Its first project curated a directory of 50+ cofounder coaches across 10+ countries.
How it works
The Cofounder Conflict Navigation System™
Startups rarely break because of product. They break when the people at the top fall out of sync.
The Cofounder Conflict Navigation System™ is the method I developed over six years with founding teams and wrote out in The Cofounder Effect. Every engagement applies it to your partnership:
1. Preparation: Diagnose what’s really happening, with tools like the Cofounder Satisfaction Index and the Three Languages Model, before the hard conversations.
2. Conversation: Work through the real issues together, with me guiding, using structured tools like Reflective Dialogue.
3. Repair: Rebuild trust, and put in place the rituals and agreements that keep the partnership healthy as you scale.
Engagements run month to month, at a frequency we set together.
What founders are saying
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"Matt completely re-engineered the relationship I had with my co-founder"
“Over the course of six months, Matt completely re-engineered the relationship I had with my co-founder and people in general. I entered the process with trepidation and skepticism, wanting to be right about the way I felt. Matt’s calm and reassuring style with follow-up notes made unlocking patterns easy to understand and practice. Over the course of working with him, I applied his method to all parts of my life and can honestly say that it has been life changing for me. I cannot recommend him highly enough.”
Satish Jayakumar, COO & Cofounder of Increasingly -
"If you're looking for a startup- and cofounder-specific coach, look no further"
“Matt is a truly unique asset to our team and company. His blend of insight on interpersonal dynamics, leadership, and startup founder challenges has been invaluable in navigating the challenging early stages of the founder/cofounder journey. He is empathetic, patient, and kind. If you’re looking for a startup- and cofounder-specific coach, look no further.”
Anna Greenwald, CEO, On the Goga -
"Honestly, it was some of the best money I've ever invested in my business"
“My co-founder and I sought counseling after months of feeling frustrated, unheard & misunderstood. It was affecting the business and ruining our friendship. I couldn’t be more grateful to have found Matt. He helped us communicate, make space for each other, and feel understood and valued. After only a few sessions, the tension was decreasing and we now had the tools to work through difficult topics. Honestly, it was some of the best money I’ve ever invested in my business.”
Cofounder and CEO, venture-backed startup -
"…a working solution where we didn't think one could ever exist"
“Dr. Jones has a great skill set to help cofounders navigate complex issues and understand where each other is coming from. This was incredibly helpful in allowing us to find a working solution where we didn’t think one could ever exist.”
Casey Fitts, CEO, Loftus -
"Matt is an incredible cofounder coach"
“Matt is an incredible cofounder coach who has helped me learn more about myself, hone my communication skills, and deepen my partnership with my cofounder. I can’t recommend Matt highly enough.”
Will Kim, CEO, Karat -
"Having Dr. Matthew Jones onboard is a secret weapon"
“Having Dr. Matthew Jones onboard is a secret weapon. It’s the difference between building a company unconsciously and building with intention — ensuring every decision you make is moving you one step closer to the life you want.”
Cole and Drew, Cofounders of Digital Press -
"One of the best experiences I've had working with any coach or advisor to date"
“Cofounder Clarity is one of the best experiences I've had working with any coach or advisor to date. I’d highly recommend to anyone looking to level up.”
Avery Durrant, CEO, Dripos -
"…firm, empathetic feedback that created real change"
“Matt provided a safe space for us to invest in our partnership and work on the parts that needed it most. He listened, guided the conversation, and offered firm, empathetic feedback that created real change. Matt felt like a member of our team — which was exactly what we needed.”
Cofounders, CEO and CTO of venture-backed startup -
"In just three months, we learned crucial communication tools, built more organized structures, and learned to de-escalate"
“We came to Matthew after encountering issues due to the combined stress of the pandemic and several years of unresolved issues. We were friends first and business partners second, and that created tension. In just three months, we learned crucial communication tools, built more organized structures, and learned to de-escalate, convey empathy, and empower each other. As business owners, it’s been eye-opening to discover that there are tools like this to build both a better business and better relationships.”
Cofounder and CEO, venture-backed startup -
"I feel compelled to listen and practice what he puts on the table"
“Matt has played an incredible part in my journey of growth and improving my relationship with my cofounder. His style is kind, considered, and clear. I feel compelled to listen and practice what he puts on the table. I couldn’t recommend Matt enough.”
Sri Sharma, CEO & Cofounder of Increasingly -
"Working on our partnership is the best investment we could have made"
“When I found Cofounder Clarity, I was going through the most difficult time my cofounder and I have experienced in our business. Dr. Jones’ approach of blending therapy and coaching equipped us with exercises and tools to better communicate and understand each other. Working on our partnership is the best investment we could have made. Highly recommend working with Dr. Jones to get clarity for your startup.”
Cofounder and CEO, venture-backed startup -
"Cofounder Clarity has amplified our growth."
“Cofounder Clarity has been a foundational component in the development of both my individual self and our founding team. Being a founder requires constant attention, effort, and a growth mindset — and Cofounder Clarity has amplified our growth.”
Cofounder and CTO, venture-backed startup -
"Dr. Matt was a tremendous coach and really improved our co-founder communication and relationship"
“Dr. Matt was a tremendous coach and really improved our co-founder communication and relationship. I highly recommend him.”
Cofounder and CBO, venture-backed startup -
"I have so much gratitude for your approach and what you were able to unlock for me"
“I do not think I would be standing as firmly on my feet today, had you and I not done the work we did over the two years we worked together. What you helped me see was tremendously helpful for my confidence and self-awareness, both personally and professionally. It was hard for me to go that deep at times, but now I see how necessary it was. I have so much gratitude for your approach and what you were able to unlock for me.”
Nathalie Phillips, Senior Brand Director, Beam Suntory -
"We've never met someone as impressive or helpful in navigating this"
“I’ve referred my founder friends with no reservations, and the ones who’ve worked with him have told me: ‘It’s one of the best things we’ve ever done… we’ve never met someone as impressive or helpful in navigating this.’”
Cofounder and CEO, venture-backed startup
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does this cost?
Programs start at $2,000/month. Pricing depends on how often we meet and the type of engagement your team needs, and includes support between sessions. If you’re not satisfied, you’re refunded for any unused portion. See the program page for more information.
What can I expect sessions to look like?
Sessions are a collaborative effort. Founders determine their goals for the engagement, and I coach teams to achieve these desired outcomes. I do not teach a preset curriculum—all interventions are customized to your unique circumstance and focus on changing core processes rather than superficial symptoms. Read my ultimate guide on cofounder coaching to learn more.
How long does it take to see results?
Some teams see results in the first session. Most notice meaningful change within the first few months, and many reach their initial goals in three to six months. Some choose to keep working together for years.
How do I get the most out of our sessions?
The founders who get the most out of our sessions: Bring thoughts and feelings related to their goals into each session, take individual notes during session, and practice implementing skills outside of meetings. They also eliminate all distractions during sessions, embrace honesty and vulnerability, and leverage their curiosity to seek greater self-understanding.
Do you work with individuals?
Yes, when the work is about a cofounder relationship or founding-team dynamic. That includes one founder preparing for a hard conversation, or a founder working through a separation. Cofounder Clarity isn't a general executive-coaching practice. Its specialization is the founding relationship.
Do you offer 360 reviews?
Yes. The Founding Team 360 combines a survey with confidential interviews of your team, peers and investors. Each founder gets an individual report, and the partnership gets a team report. It's available on its own or as an add-on to any program. Read a sample report
Is this the right fit for us?
It's probably not the right fit if you want general CEO performance coaching, need legal advice on equity or governance, want an arbitrator to decide who's right, or want one founder "fixed" without the other involved. It probably is if your relationship with your cofounder has become one of the biggest variables in your company's future.
Fix the Friction Before It Costs You
Unlock 40+ pages of The Cofounder Effect, plus two high-impact tools that help you spot friction, fix alignment, and protect your next big milestone.
What’s Inside (and Why It Matters)
Exclusive 40+Page Excerpt: Reveal hidden dynamics that silently derail startups, and stop them before your next fundraise or launch event.
Cofounder Temperature Check (BONUS): A 15‑minute diagnostic to surface tension before it drains morale, execution, or investor confidence.
Conflict Conversation Starter Kit (BONUS): Plug‑and‑play scripts to restore trust fast—because unresolved issues don’t fix themselves.
Proven by Top Founders
Built on 6+ years coaching 100+ founding teams from YC‑ and a16z‑backed startups
Written by a licensed psychologist: Grounded in clinical relationship research, translated for founding teams.
Don’t Let Friction Cost You
Book a call if you want to
✔ Get aligned before your next raise, so investors see a united team
✔ Stop losing weeks to decisions that should take days
✔ Fix it before your early hires start picking sides
✔ Find out whether this partnership can be repaired, and what it would take