FounderS Circle

A 3-month Leadership Rite of Passage cohort for Founders

Fall 2026 Cohort Dates To be announced.

Many founders eventually reach a moment when the company they created begins asking more from them than the skills that built it.

The early stage of building a company rewards speed, intensity, and founder-driven execution. But as the organization grows, those same patterns can begin to limit the company’s ability to scale.

At this stage, many founders experience similar challenges:

• carrying too much responsibility personally

• difficulty delegating and building true executive ownership

• increasing pressure from investors, boards, and teams

• decisions becoming more complex and consequential

• leadership demands expanding faster than the founder’s capacity

This moment is not a failure of leadership.

It is a threshold.

Scaling a company requires the founder to evolve.

The Founder → CEO Rite of Passage

Growing companies eventually require a different kind of leader.

The founder must shift from being the person who drives the company forward through effort to the leader who builds the systems, teams, and culture that drive the company forward.

This transition—from founder to CEO—is one of the most demanding developmental journeys in entrepreneurship.

Few founders are given a structured environment to navigate it.

The Founder → CEO Cohort provides that environment.

This program brings together a small group of founders navigating similar transitions. Over the course of the cohort, participants develop the leadership capacity required to guide their companies through the next stage of growth.

The group is intentionally limited to 12 founders to allow for depth, trust, and meaningful conversation.

The Work

The cohort combines leadership development, peer learning, and guided reflection to help founders expand their capacity as leaders.

Participants explore the real challenges of scaling both themselves and their organizations, including:

• transitioning from founder-driven execution to scalable leadership

• building and leading effective executive teams

• navigating board relationships and strategic decision-making

• delegating authority while strengthening accountability

• managing stress and maintaining clarity under pressure

• strengthening communication and culture across the organization

• cultivating judgment, intuition, and long-term strategic thinking

The cohort format allows founders to step outside their day-to-day environment and learn from peers who are navigating similar leadership transitions.

The result is often both practical and transformative. Founders leave with clearer leadership practices, stronger perspective, and renewed energy for the work ahead.

Structure

Each cohort includes:

• A curated group of up to 12 founders

• Guided group sessions focused on leadership development

• Peer dialogue and shared problem-solving

• Practical frameworks for the Founder → CEO transition

• Optional invitation to participate rite of passage nature retreats to deepen reflection and clarity

Who This Is For

This cohort is designed for investor-backed founders who:

• are leading growing organizations

• feel the increasing complexity of leadership as the company scales

• are ready to develop themselves as leaders—not just grow the company

• value honest dialogue with other founders navigating similar challenges

Apply

Participation begins with the next monthly Founder Threshold Workshop, where you can explore whether the cohort is the right next step for your leadership journey.