On June 11, PLNT welcomed Dr. Jana Nevrlka for a special program day organized by Venture Academy x unlock_. As part of PLNT’s startup programs, participants gain access to experts who share their knowledge and experiences. This is a unique opportunity to learn from professionals in the field, gain new insights, and find solutions to challenges that many startups face. It is precisely this combination of practical knowledge and direct contact with experts that makes PLNT’s programs so valuable for ambitious entrepreneurs.
This edition focused on a single topic: co-founding and building strong founding teams. For many startups, finding the right co-founder is one of the most important decisions they make. During the session, Jana demonstrated why these choices, in particular, can have a major impact on a startup’s success.
Who is Dr. Jana Nevrlka?
Dr. Jana Nevrlka combines a legal and business background with her own experience as an entrepreneur. After both a successful and a less successful co-founding experience, she has specialized in all aspects of co-founding.
Through her book Cofounding the Right Way and her work as a mentor, she helps founders make important decisions regarding co-founder selection, equity distribution, team decision-making, and drafting co-founder agreements.
The foundation of a strong founder team
During the session, Jana guided participants through various topics that play a key role within founder teams. Among other things, they discussed co-founder selection, co-founder dating, equity allocation, team decisions, roles and responsibilities, equity recovery, and co-founder agreements.
According to Jana, the process of finding a co-founder begins with a question that many entrepreneurs overlook: Do you actually need a co-founder? Only once that question has been answered is it important to assess what knowledge, skills, and experience the company still lacks.
She also shared lessons from her own entrepreneurial experience. Jana explained that she learned a great deal from her less-than-successful co-founding experience. In her view, problems often arise because founders make assumptions about each other’s expectations, motivation, or commitment without discussing these issues in a timely manner.
A successful partnership requires attention
An important part of the session was the question of what makes a co-founder relationship successful. According to Jana, it starts with the right people, a shared vision, and a similar level of commitment. But it’s just as important to keep investing in that partnership.
Companies change, people grow, and circumstances evolve. That’s why, in her view, it’s essential to regularly discuss expectations, goals, and the company’s direction with one another. She compares a co-founder relationship to a marriage: a good start is important, but ultimately, it’s the ongoing effort that determines whether the relationship remains successful.
A message for founders
To wrap things up, Jana shared a clear message: give co-founding decisions the attention they deserve. Amid the hustle and bustle of pitch decks, product development, and day-to-day operations, decisions about co-founders are often made in a rush, even though they can be difficult to reverse later on.
Who will be your co-founder? How will you allocate shares? How will you make decisions together? And what should you include in a shareholders’ or co-founder agreement? According to Jana, these are questions founders need to consciously take the time to address.
In her session at PLNT, Dr. Jana Nevrlka provided participants with valuable insights into a topic that lies at the foundation of many successful startups. After all, a strong company often starts with a strong founding team.
