E645 | Seb Agertoft, Evolution & Mike Reiner, 432 Legacy: Venture beyond: Trauma vs Purpose

Nov 4, 2025

Seb Agertoft is a former product leader and now an executive coach at Evolution, working with VC-backed founders. Mike Reiner, founder of 432 Legacy, brings a focus on wellbeing in the venture ecosystem. They explore the true essence of coaching, highlighting the balance between support and challenge. Seb shares insights on using product experience without giving advice, while Mike emphasizes the importance of personal growth for founders. They discuss the necessity of slowing down for better performance and contrasting trauma-driven ambition with purpose as a sustainable motivator.

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INSIGHT

Product Experience Fuels Coaching

Seb transitioned from product roles at eBay and GoCardless to full-time coaching because people and team-building motivate him more than technology.
He blends product expertise with human-development practices to reduce avoidable waste in tech teams.

ADVICE

Adopt Non‑Directive Coaching

Use a non-directive, developmental coaching relationship focused on the individual's 'I/We/It' dimensions.
Balance support and challenge and tailor style to the coachee rather than imposing solutions.

INSIGHT

Domain Fit Builds Trust Fast

Coaches with startup or product backgrounds can build trust quickly by speaking founders' language.
Trust lets coaches bridge tactical company topics and deeper personal work without becoming prescriptive.

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Welcome back to the EUVC Podcast, where we gather Europe’s venture family to share the stories, insights, and lessons that drive our ecosystem forward.

Today we zoom in on the inner game with Seb Agertoft, former product leader turned executive coach and Partner at Evolution, a collective of ~80 coaching and leadership-development partners across the US and Europe. Seb works primarily with VC-backed founders, co-founding teams, and leadership teams. Joining me is Mike Reiner (432 Legacy), who’s helping us bring more conversations like this to light. We dig into what real coaching is (and isn’t), how product experience helps without turning coaching into advice, why founders need the right kind of stubbornness, and how slowing down actually improves performance.

🎧 Here’s what’s covered:

01:30 From product career to coaching founders
02:10 Why Seb: product depth + coaching depth; what we’ll explore with Mike.
02:46 Seb’s path: eBay → GoCardless → Pelago Health → full-time coaching; joining Evolution’s partner collective.
04:13 Switching from product to coaching: motivated by people, team-building, and reducing avoidable waste in tech.
06:46 Personal thread: yoga training, teaching meditation, and blending “human development” with tech.
07:46 What coaching is (and isn’t): non-directive, developmental; the “I/We/It” frame; support vs. challenge.
10:50 Using product experience without slipping into advice; building trust to go deep and tactical.
17:26 Mike on the investor’s role: supporting the person, not just the metrics; presence, somatics, and listening.
24:39 Alignment & diligence: picking founders for the journey they actually want (and can) live.
25:54 Slow down to speed up: cadence, space, and performance (not “softness”).
28:12 Trauma can drive—and derail; purpose/servitude as a more sustainable fuel.
33:58 “Double goals”: it’s okay to build for self and service; lessen attachment to outcomes.
40:20 The “right kind” of stubborn: high conviction and curiosity; avoid playbook worship.
43:40 Balancing conviction and openness: an anecdote on resisting “quick money” detours.
47:58 Demystifying “spirituality”: meaning-making, connection, and time-tested practices.