As a startup founder, what's the best way to announce your departure?

Anonymous

October 31st, 2015

Currently struggling with how to properly announce my departure to the rest of my team. From others experience, what is the best way to announce one’s departure while still maintaining a good relationship?

Bill Vanke VP Global Sales & BD | Sales Pipeline Forensics | Business & Society Observer and Commenter | Wireless | M2M

October 31st, 2015

You must be an engineer.

There is no BEST way. You simply need to be 100% transparent and honest so as to maintain ANY kind of relationship - let alone a "good" relationship. I believe that no matter what you do or say, your colleagues views will range from disappointed, to outrage to relief. Best you can do is be 100% transparent and honest so as to not screw up your next attempt at FOUNDING.

Jeff Brown

October 31st, 2015

Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them Truth here.

Doesn't have to happen at one sitting but do it with confidence and assurance.

Stan Podolski CEO at Nimble Aircraft.

October 31st, 2015

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish

always worked for me.

Sorry, cant resist. However it all depends on what you want. If you just simply decided, it doesn't work for you anymore, then you can simply say so

Thomas Kaled Business Development Consultant @ thomas.kaled@gmail.com

October 31st, 2015

There are issues to consider surrounding your equity and it's value if the Company is public or private, your customers if you have a role in accruing or maintaining goodwill, a succession plan, the Board if you have one and your wind-down if there is to be one and your key employees etc. If all of that has been considered then it a should be fairly straight-forward and already mapped out I would think.

Anonymous

October 31st, 2015

just do it in person, not over email. get all relevant people in a room and put it out there

Andrew Lockley

October 31st, 2015

Negotiate a lower equity share than you currently have

Candice Hughes, PhD, MBA

November 2nd, 2015

The first thing is to approach the discussion with care and empathy. By asking for advice, you are already showing that you care about your team which is a great start. I highly recommend the book, Crucial Conversations, which can help you to approach this challenging discussion in a way that everyone feels safe to discuss a difficult topic. As others said, honesty is needed for certain. Your circumstances may have changed since you founded the company or the company may not be on the path you envisioned when you started. Knowing what you need, what the company needs and how best to meld those needs will be important to getting a good resolution. Brainstorming with your team can help with this. Definitely, read Crucial Conversations, which will give you the right approaches and language to use.