Hey! It’s Doone, your hype girl in business. You may know this already, but there are less than 100 days left of 2023 (98 to be exact). Whether that makes you feel good, or bad, it's still a really long time to do things you want to do. So that's positive news, right? Let’s channel that energy this week.

Today we’re covering 👇

• How to deal w/ co-founder break-ups

• Small Biz Spotlight: relaunching Winden

• There’s drama in the group-chat

• Staying an industry know-it-all

• $1000 to reach your 2023 goals

Co-founder Break-ups 💔 how to thrive through co-founder conflicts

Today, we're diving into one of the (many🙄) less glamorous sides of startup life – founders conflicts. This is the kind of thing you might rather stick your head in the sand about, but that fact remains that 65% of startups fail as a result of founder conflict. So you kinda can’t.

What this does tell us, is that it happens to the best of us. & there is a lot of learning to be done when it comes to both dealing with co-founder conflict and coming out stronger on the other side. As Al mentioned on the show this week: “it can destroy businesses, and it has, but it certainly did not destroy ours.”

• Communication is Queen 👑 when tensions rise, the best way to tackle issues is through open and honest communication (schedule a sit-down, put your phones away, and let it all out)

• Seek Mediation if Necessary 🤝 if you find yourselves in a deadlock, consider bringing in a mediator (they can provide an unbiased perspective & sometimes a fresh pair of eyes can work wonders)

• Revisit Your Roles and Responsibilities 📝 a common source of co-founder conflicts is a lack of clarity about roles and responsibilities (sit down and redefine who does what, avoid stepping on each others toes)

• Focus on the Big Picture 🌟always comes back to why you started this journey together in the first place (keeping the big picture in mind can help put smaller disagreements into perspective)

• Consider a Legal Agreement 📜 have a legal agreement in place from the beginning (this can outline how disputes will be handled and can save you a lot of headache later on) almost like a pre-nup, but for biz

Sometimes, despite all efforts, a co-founder relationship may not be salvageable. As Al said, it’s just like a marriage. In such cases, it's crucial to know when to walk away amicably. It's better to part on good terms than to drag each other down. You can always start anew with lessons learned.

In the world of startups, co-founder conflicts are almost a rite of passage. What truly matters is how you navigate them. Remember, many successful companies have faced these challenges and emerged stronger. So, chin up, embrace the journey, and keep building your dream - together or apart.

Listen to Alexandra on the podcast →

Small Biz Spotlight 💡

This month, after a decade in business, Bec is relaunched her brand Winden.

If you’re a founder, you know that this path is not linear. We try and we fail, and if we have the support we need, we try again. In Bec’s words, she felt that support acutely this time around. That’s our exactly what our mission has been with Majic, and proud doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Check out Winden’s rebrand, & get a free Petite Solid Shampoo on all orders until the end of the month by simply adding it to your cart →

DRAMA in the Group Chat 👀

• Our repost of BEHAVE founder Mayssa ended up on the wrong side of Instagram this week and it got us thinking about the world “girls” and why girls are totally ruling the internet RN

• This one hurt to write. Harvard Business Review wrote a report on how funding from female investors (which we thought would close the funding gap) may actually be a mixed blessing. The data tells us it can make it harder for female founders to raise additional financing afterwards. So what CAN we do? Appaz, it’s ultimately a comfort thing.

• IDY if you’ve already spotted this but my Amazon is automatically encouraging me to Subscribe & Save on selected products. Just another sign for you to hop on a subscription model where you can.

• Did you catch this feud on X between Y Combinator Leaders & a fellow Accelerator Chief? Juicy stuff.

• Emily Oberg’s lifestyle brand Sporty & Rich is expanding

• The soccer-inspired lounge collection you didn’t know you needed

• What's going on with those Kardashian acquisition rumours?

• Snap wants beauty brands on board

• Ooft, Stitch Fix is cutting U.K. operations

• Katy P has sold the rights to her music for HOW much?

• TikTok is funding Black Friday deals to take on the big dogs

Grants & accelerators…

Cubicle to CEO & Norby have teamed up to gift not one but two entrepreneurs $1000 each to reach their 2023 goals; apply here (it takes just 15 mins)!

This week's lineup...

This week's reccies…

Get by with a little help from me…

Remote 🌴

• Social marketing agency Scrunch is looking for a talented Influencer Marketing Manager to join the team. Read more here.

• Rent the Runway, transforming the way we get dressed, is searching for a Senior Customer Experience Manager to jump on board. Apply!

Sydney, AUS 🌞

• Ovira, taking the women's health industry by storm (& relieving period pain!), is searching for a Growth Marketing. Apply directly here.

In Neeew Yooooooork 🗽

• Queer community app Lex is on the hunt for a Marketing Manager (slash visionary) to join the team remotely. More here.

BTW… We’re putting together a list of all the best female-founded sales for cyber weekend; hit reply to this email and let us know who you want to see on the list (or if you have an offer you want added!)✨