Fundamentals For Startups: Cofounder Relationships- Building the Partnership That Builds Your Company
Elevators and doors open at 11:30 AM and will close promptly at 12:15 PM.
About the Lecture:
One of the biggest factors that can make or break a startup’s success is the cofounder relationship. Yet many founders focus on operations while overlooking the psychological and interpersonal dynamics that quietly shape everything from decision‑making to culture.
This one‑hour lecture breaks down the hidden work of building and sustaining a healthy, resilient cofounder partnership, including:
Why your partnership matters more than your product: How founder dynamics influence execution, trust, and long‑term viability.
Finding the right cofounder: How to look beyond technical skills to build a partnership that will last
Creating explicit agreements: Roles, expectations, decision rights, and the conversations founders avoid until they become problems.
Using your relationship as cultural blueprint: The way you communicate, disagree, and repair becomes the template your entire team follows.
Addressing emotional debt: How unspoken frustrations accumulate—and how to clear them before they become structural cracks.
Speaker:
T.A. McCann is the CEO of Lev. He is a serial entrepreneur and Managing Director at Pioneer Square Labs, a leading venture studio in Seattle, WA. He was the founder and CEO of Senosis (acquired by Google), Gist (acquired by Blackberry), and Rival IQ (acquired by Netbase), in addition to a few other companies that were not so lucky. Previously, he was an EIR at Polaris Venture Partners and Vulcan Capital, where he built Vulcan Labs and Providence Health Services, focusing on quantified health ideas and investments. He also held senior roles at Microsoft, leading Exchange and the Mobile Services divisions.
In addition to his own startup experience, he is an active angel investor in companies including SkillJar, CreativeLive, Assist, XMPT, and Vendor Hawk, and on the board of Guidant Financial, Volt Athletics, and Zero Health. He is also an adjunct professor at the University of Washington Foster School of Business and an active TechStars mentor.
Prior to his startup career, he was a professional sailor, having competed in 2 America's Cups (one won, one lost) and the Whitbread Round the World Race. He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University, where he attended on a full swimming scholarship.
About Fundamentals for Startups:
Fundamentals for Startups is a weekly one-hour lecture series featuring notable experts who share startup-related information, experience, and insights with our entrepreneurial community. From raising capital to scaling to exit strategies, these seasoned guest speakers deliver valuable content designed to help startups and entrepreneurs thrive.
These lectures are open to the public and you do not have to be currently affiliated with the UW or a startup to join. Lunch is provided while supplies last. Advanced registration required. Please note, we are no longer livestreaming these sessions.
Elevators and doors open at 11:30 AM and will close promptly at 12:15 PM. Don't be late!
We hope you can join us!