Before You Shake Hands, read this. Elle George on partnership alignment

Elle George on Founder Alignment, Partnerships, and Hard-Won Lessons

Episode Summary

Founder and author Elle George breaks down her new book “Before You Shake Hands”, a practical system for assessing alignment before partnerships, co-founder agreements, or investor deals. She shares hard lessons from a two-decade legal saga, the exact questions she now asks, and how to structure conflict protocols before momentum blinds everyone.

Who this episode is for

Founders, CEOs, operators, first-time investors, and anyone considering a co-founder or strategic partner who wants fewer surprises and fewer trips to court.

What you will learn

• How to run an alignment check before you sign anything
• The five domains to vet in every partnership
• How to document conflict protocols up front
• Investor questions that expose goals and timelines early
• Why spiritual discipline and daily routines support better decisions

Key Takeaways

• Alignment beats traction. Momentum masks risk. Stop and align goals, values, roles, legal, money, and exit plans before papering anything.
• Ask first-principle questions. Why invest. What is the five-year end state. How will conflicts resolve. Who decides at ties.
• Document the downside. Agree on “what if we hate each other,” capital calls, buy-sell terms, and tie-breaker rules before you commit.
• Battle scars matter. Do not avoid hard histories. Ask how a partner handled legal, credit, or operational failures and what changed.
• Culture shows in small signals. Hiring prompt she loves, “What work bores you.” It is a precision question for role fit.
• Discipline scales intuition. Routine, reflection, and written agreements turn gut feel into repeatable decisions.

Frameworks from the Episode

1) The Alignment Framework — Five Domains

• Values and trust
• Roles and responsibilities
• Legal and documentation
• Financials and capital calls
• Exit strategies and scenarios

2) Partnership Diligence Checklist

• Why do you want to work with me or invest in this business
• What are your goals for the company and the timeline to reach them
• What is your exit preference and under what conditions
• Describe your biggest business challenge and how you handled it
• Any prior legal or financial issues, what you learned, what changed
• Conflict plan, decision rights, tie-breaker mechanism
• Buy-sell mechanics, valuation method, funding obligations

3) Conflict Protocol Up Front

• Define disagreement thresholds that trigger a decision process
• Name who has final call on specific domains
• Establish a written tie-breaker and escalation ladder
• Pre-agree on mediation or arbitration path and venue

4) Investor Fit Questions

• End-state in five years and expected liquidity path
• Capital intensity expectations after initial check
• Governance, reporting, and operating cadence preferences
• Support offered beyond money and how success is measured

5) Founder Operating Rituals

• Morning affirmations and meditation for clear decision-making
• Weekly reflection on assumptions and alignment drift
• “No gossip” rule to protect culture and focus

Resources and Links

• Founder Challenge by Kitcaster: https://media.kitcaster.com/founder-challenge
• AI for Founders: https://aiforfounders.co
• Ryan Estes: https://ryanestes.info