My co-founder has checked out of daily operations to focus on other ventures but refuses to give up his seat as Head of Product on our Accountability Chart because he wants to retain his executive title for our upcoming exit. His absence is stalling our development. How do we resolve this title-retention roadblock?

Question

Tyler Smith · Accepted Answer

This is a classic owner-ego issue that directly threatens your exit valuation. Buyers look for a clean, functioning Accountability Chart where every leader is actively driving traction. A checked-out co-founder occupying a critical leadership seat just to keep a fancy title is a massive red flag.

You must have a Same Page meeting with your co-founder and run him through the GWC filter for the Head of Product seat. Does he genuinely want to do the daily work of leading product development, or does he just want the status?

If he does not want the daily responsibilities and is not executing the roles, he is a no on Want It and Capacity. You must take his name out of that seat immediately.

Explain to him that keeping his name in the seat is hurting the company's value, which directly reduces the payout he will receive at exit.

If he wants to remain involved, create a separate Owner's Box seat or a Board of Directors seat on your Accountability Chart that carries no operational responsibilities. This allows him to retain his ownership connection and a clean title without bottlenecking the leadership team or confusing the employees who actually run the product division.