The troubled young founder, her voice heavy with concern, confided in me over the phone, “I’ve got to slash the marketing budget, and it’s going to bring growth to a screeching halt.” I took a moment before suggesting that this seemingly crushing setback might just be the catalyst she needed to unleash her inner creative genius.
In the same week, a founder of another rapidly growing startup employing over 500 people suddenly faced an unexpected crisis and slower sales cycles. To control spiraling costs and extend their runway, the founder had to make the heart-wrenching decision to lay off 100 dedicated employees. The founder was emotionally drained and down — I had never seen him like that.
