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Founders Bay Virtual Workshop: Founder Judgment Under Pressure: Making Better Decisions When There's No Playbook
A practical, interactive workshop for founders, technologists and operators navigating high-stakes decisions before the frameworks exist.
Description
Founders make some of their most consequential decisions before there's a clear framework, enough data, or a fully stable team. In those moments, the human side of the decision matters as much as the strategic one; most founders are navigating it alone.
This is the part nobody puts in the deck: the co-founder tension sitting underneath weeks of emails, an investor expectation quietly rewriting what you said you stood for, a decision that keeps getting deferred because it feels personal and none of the options feel clean.
Most founders don't have a values problem. They have an alignment problem between what they believe is driving their decisions and what's really driving them when the pressure is sustained and the playbook runs out.
This session is practical and interactive. We'll examine how pressure affects founder judgment around co-founder dynamics, values drift, investor expectations, and the calls that must be made quickly when something feels personal.
Participants will work through one exercise they can apply immediately to a real decision they're already carrying. They'll leave with a clearer read on what's truly driving the call, what values or tradeoffs are at stake, and what one next step would create more alignment.
What Participants Will Leave With
A clearer read on what's really driving a decision, not just what they think is driving it. An understanding of where their values and judgment are aligned, and where pressure has been quietly widening the gap. One concrete next step on a real decision they're already carrying.
About the Speaker
Erin Haertling is a Strategic Thought Partner to founders and senior executives navigating sustained pressure, high-stakes decisions, and the human cost of leadership at the highest levels.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science from Smith College, a Master of Counseling Psychology from Adler University, and is completing her MBA at the University of Arizona's Eller College of Management. She also holds a Leadership and Performance Coaching certificate from Brown University's School of Professional Studies, is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) credentialed through the International Coaching Federation and is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach. In addition, she is a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC) and a Canadian Certified Counsellor (CCC).
Prior to building her practice, Erin served as a United States Air Force officer, leading operational test and evaluation of space and defense systems — work that required precision, judgment under pressure, and decision-making in high stakes, mission-critical environments.
Her practice, The Permission Problem, operates on one thesis, agency is a choice.
About Us
Founders Bay is a 200,000+ member community of founders, executives, investors and operators — weekly curated events, expert workshops, and mentorship. Proudly woman-owned and operated by Mariane Bekker.
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