“Startups don't die. Founders give up.” — Naval Ravikant

The Inner Circle
for Venture-Funded Cofounders

Seed to Exit

Let's Talk
What We Do

We work directly with cofounders so their relationship becomes the strongest part of the company.

Who We Are

Former founders. Not consultants.

Jonah Larkin

Former Founder • Stanford GSB Coach/Facilitator

  • Facilitates interpersonal dynamics at Stanford's Graduate School of Business
  • Works directly with cofounders on negotiation, decision rights, conflict, and the conversations most teams avoid

Arthur Levitan

Former Founder • Daoist Master

  • Scaled a nine-figure startup — has been through every phase of the cofounder journey
  • First-principles frameworks from the Dao De Ching — battle-tested wisdom for founders under pressure every day
Case Study

From stuck to $200M ARR.

Before

  • Two YC-funded seed-stage cofounders
  • Struggling with traction — the product wasn't landing
  • Communication had broken down — they couldn't align on what to do next
  • They weren't giving up. But they were stuck.

The Work

They thought the fight was about product direction. It was about trust. Neither founder felt heard. Every decision had become a proxy for that.

We started with one question: why are you doing this, and what do you stand to lose? Then we worked through the root issue underneath the arguments. Within days they were aligned, talking again, and moving. 90 days later, when they brought in a third cofounder, we got ahead of the 2-vs-1 dynamic before it could fracture the team.

After

  • Broke through the deadlock that was paralyzing every decision
  • Stopped second-guessing each other and zeroed in on the right market
  • Integrated a third cofounder without fracturing the team
  • $200M ARR — eleven months after they were ready to quit
“

We just hit $100M ARR. We could not have done it without you—we would have imploded.

— Series A Founder, AI Infrastructure
“

One of the highest-leverage investments we've made. The negotiation framework alone paid for the engagement on our last term sheet.

— Series A Cofounder, B2B SaaS
How We Think Differently

You don't need another executive coach.

You've been through the accelerator. Sat through the programs. Maybe even talked to a couples therapist who's never actually been inside the pressure cooker.

Everyone else

  • Talks about leadership in the abstract
  • Gives you frameworks from a textbook
  • Has never sat across from a cofounder at 2am wondering if the partnership is over

Zero Zero

  • We've been the founders staring failure in the face
  • Frameworks from Stanford GSB + ancient first principles — tested under real pressure
  • We work in the trenches with you, not from the sidelines
The Unfair Advantage

That is also your insurance policy.

How It Works

Three things. All designed for founders under pressure.

01

Direct Cofounder Work

Sessions with Jonah and Arthur on negotiation, decision rights, and conflict. The hard stuff your board can't help with.

02

Sealed Peer Groups

5–6 cofounding teams, in person, monthly. Every member signs an NDA. Zero tolerance for leaks. You can actually be honest.

03

The Network

A vetted network of Seed-to-exited founders who are building, scaling, and winning. Each stage learns from the stage ahead.

FAQ

Who is this for?

Venture-funded cofounders, Seed to Exit. You have a cofounder. You're not in crisis — but you know the relationship is the thing that could make or break the company.

How is this different from executive coaching?

Executive coaches talk about leadership in the abstract. We've been the founders staring failure in the face. We combine frameworks from Stanford GSB and the Dao De Ching — tested under real pressure, not borrowed from a textbook.

How do cohorts work?

Cohorts are small on purpose — 5 to 6 cofounding teams. Monthly in-person sessions, NDA-sealed. Every member signs a confidentiality agreement. Zero tolerance for leaks.

How much does it cost?

Pricing is based on dollar amount raised and stage to make sure you are getting an unmistakable ROI.

What's the time commitment?

Monthly in-person peer group sessions plus direct cofounder work with Jonah and Arthur. Virtual connection between sessions. Designed for founders who are busy building — not another thing on your calendar that doesn't move the needle.

Let's talk.

Cohorts are small on purpose. Leave your info and we'll set up a conversation.