How to fight with your co-founder with Ian Schmidt, Trimergence

Episode notes

Every founding team is a mix of personalities, communication styles, and strengths. That can be a superpower or cause founders to butt heads. Without a clear framework for navigating conflict, even the strongest teams can fall apart before they really get started. This week on Build Mode , Isabelle Johannessen sits down with Ian Schmidt, strategic advisor at Trimergence, to unpack the “personal operating system” behind every founder. As a coach, consultant, and occasionally a bouncer, Ian helps teams build the self-awareness and relational tools they need to scale without unnecessary friction. They discuss: Why founders should invest in coaching before conflict escalates How to repair after conflict goes sideways The importance of understanding your own triggers as a leader How to create space for the self-work that actually saves time long-term Following last week’s episode on family co-founders, this conversation expands those lessons into practical tools any founding team can use. Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com/apply .

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