Hey there informational interviewers,

Did you know that not all informational interviewers are looking for a job? Some are trying to found a company, fundraise for a non-profit, or just find product market fit. In fact, sometimes it is informational interviewing that helps you realize that you really just want to do your own thing!

With that in mind, today I’m sharing a conversation framework that I call “intentional foundations.” This framework is designed to help cofounders or potential collaborators start a project from a place of strength, clarity and intentionality.

I’ve seen this process provide valuable insight in the past. If you use it, please do let me know! I’d love to hear how it goes.

Stay Savvy,

Emma

P.S. — I’m starting a slack group for informational interviewers. It’s a nascent little thing and very much in beta. If you’d like to you join, here is the invite. Someday I will charge money (!) for this but it will always be free for my early adopters!!

How to build an intentional foundation with your cofounder

Objective: to have an intentional, structured and transparent conversation that will set up the founding team for long-term success

Why do this:

Founding a business is emotionally and relationally challenging, in addition to being strategically and tactically challenging. Taking the time to set an intentional relationship foundation will:

• Reduce the frequency of miscommunication and conflict

• Increase efficiency and agility

• Build trust and relationship skills that will become increasingly important as the stakes get higher

Process:

1. Hold a preliminary 30 minute individual conversation outlining the objectives and framework of this process

2. Have each cofounder complete the Intentional Foundations questionnaire

3. Have each cofounder review the completed Intentional Foundations questionnaire asynchronously, and identify specific sections that would benefit from further discussion.

4. Hold a conversation (utilizing the intentional foundations conversation framework at the end of this post)

Foundations Questionnaire

Instructions:

1. Choose a pleasant environment that is not your typical work space to answer these questions. A favorite cafe, spacious public library, quiet bar, comfortable backyard, or porch would all be fine.

2. Prepare a favorite beverage (beer, coffee, red wine, seltzer, lemonade… whatever you like best) and maybe a light snack.

3. Make sure you have at least 2 hours of uninterrupted time available (you won’t need two hours, but we need to create a sense of spaciousness, something that is very hard to come by when you’re building fast and furious).

4. Close all browser tabs and applications on your computer, other than the document with these questions. Make sure your phone is silenced and out of sight.

5. Do not worry about sentence structure, spelling or grammar as you answer these questions. You can answer in bullet points, paragraphs, or stream of conscious free writing. Your prose can be brief, but your answers should be exhaustive and complete. Don’t censor yourself as you write.

Share where you are in your story:

1. How did you get to where you are right now? Briefly share your story.

2. What are you most excited about with respect to founding your organization?

3. What professional experiences have you had in the past that you would like to avoid with your organization?

4. What professional experiences have you had in the past that you would like to replicate with your organization?

5. If everything works out in the best possible way, what will that do for you as a human being and as a professional?

6. What would be the worst case scenario for you with your organizations?

Share what you know about yourself:

1. How do you envision your role at your organizations?

2. What strengths or superpowers do you bring to your organization?

3. What weaknesses are you aware of that could challenge you as you work to build your organization?

4. What practices, systems or processes help you do your best work?

5. What types of personal practices help you maintain your equilibrium and resilience?

6. How do you like to collaborate with others? What communication tools or styles do you prefer?

7. What types of behaviors are triggering for you, or make you fearful or angry? (Think less about the obviously bad behaviors like lying or manipulation, and more about the innocuous-seeming behaviors that trigger you personally)

Share what you know about your cofounder:

1. What attributes does your cofounder have that make you want to undertake the co-founding process with them, specifically, as opposed to any other person? What do you admire about them?

2. Describe your cofounder’s role as you envision it at organization.

3. What do you think you bring to your cofounder? How can you support them?

4. As you consider your relationship with your cofounder, what values or qualities would you like to cultivate together as you build your organization?

5. If everything works in the best possible way, what will your relationship with your cofounder be like in ten years?

6. What, if anything, do you want your cofounder to know about you that they might not already know?

Create your intentional foundation:

1. As you think about your organizations journey from zero to one and all that that entails, which specific elements bring up feelings of fear or concern for you? What elements are you worried might be challenging to navigate with your cofounder?

2. As you consider the journey from pre-seed through seed stage, what elements do you feel especially excited about or uniquely suited to tackle?

3. What kind of practices, systems and processes do you think will support you and your cofounder in developing and maintaining a mutually supportive relationship of trust and transparency?

4. When you reach moments of tension, disagreement or mistrust, what resources will you call upon to move in the direction of harmonious collaboration?

5. What, if any, questions do you have for your co-founder? What, if anything, would you like your cofounder to know at this point?

Intentional Foundations Conversation Framework

Part I: Set the table

1. Read questionnaires separately: Make sure you've both read each other's questionnaires in their entirety before meeting on a call.

2. Read questionnaires aloud to one another: One you're on a call together, begin by reading your answers to each other. Go through each question, add color or context where you feel called to, or just read out the answers as you've written them. Take turns (i.e., one person reads their questionnaire in its entirety and then the other person reads theirs). I suggest not asking questions or engaging in cross-talk at this time.

Part 2: Identify what's being revealed

1. Share what you're noticing: Next take turns answering the following questions: What stood out to you about the other person's answers? What, if anything, surprised you about the other person's answers?

2. Identify areas of alignment: What shared values, goals, visions, sensibilities did you notice in each other's responses.

3. Identify topics requiring further discussion: What, if anything, has been revealed as an important topic to explore further, or specific items that will require thoughtful consideration as you move forward? You may have anywhere between 1-5 topics that require additional exploration. Write them down. Do not address the substance of these topics at this time (although you can feel free to add some context where you think it's necessary). Mostly, though, just identify them and write them down.

Part 3: Plan your next steps

1. Summarize what you've learned: Putting aside all that remains unresolved, what do you now know, concretely, that you didn't know before about each other and your feelings, ideas, hopes, goals, visions for working together? Write this summary down!

2. Plan your next steps: How will you address the topics that require further discussion? In what order will you address those topics? Which topics are higher priority? Which can wait? Who will be the DRI on those conversations? What kind of process will you go through to address these topics? Write down your plan for addressing the topics that require further discussion.

Annnnnnddddd that’s it! Hopefully now you are on firm footing with you partner!