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How to fight with your co-founder

Every founding team is a mix of personalities, communication styles, and strengths. That can be a superpower or cause founders to butt heads. Without a clear framework for navigating conflict, even the strongest teams can fall apart before they really get started. This week on Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen sits down with Ian Schmidt, strategic…

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Every founding team is a mix of personalities, communication styles, and strengths. That can be a superpower or cause founders to butt heads. Without a clear framework for navigating conflict, even the strongest teams can fall apart before they really get started.

This week on Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen sits down with Ian Schmidt, strategic advisor at Trimergence, to unpack the “personal operating system” behind every founder. As a coach, consultant, and occasionally a bouncer, Ian helps teams build the self-awareness and relational tools they need to scale without unnecessary friction.

They discuss:

🧩 Why founders should invest in coaching before conflict escalates
🧩 How to repair after conflict goes sideways
🧩 The importance of understanding your own triggers as a leader
🧩 How to create space for the self-work that actually saves time long-term

Following last week’s episode on family co-founders, this conversation expands those lessons into practical tools any founding team can use.

Apply to Startup Battlefield: We are looking for early-stage companies that have an MVP. So nominate a founder (or yourself): techcrunch.com/apply. Be sure to say you heard about Startup Battlefield from the Build Mode podcast.

TechCrunch Disrupt: If you’re thinking about applying to Startup Battlefield, then October 13 to 15 in San Francisco, we’re back for TechCrunch Disrupt, where the Startup Battlefield 200 takes the stage. So if you want to cheer them on, or just network with 1000s of founders, VCs, and tech enthusiasts, then grab your tickets.

Use code buildmode15 for 15% off any ticket type.

Chapters:
00:00 Why Conflict Isn’t the Problem
02:18 The Founder Operating System
04:21 Why Co-Founders Clash
05:34 How to Map Your Personal OS
10:26 Start Early or Pay Later
16:59 Frameworks for Navigating Conflict
23:32 Relationships, Loneliness & Support Systems
31:15 Identity, Habits & Scaling Yourself

New episodes of Build Mode drop every Thursday. Hosted by Isabelle Johannessen. Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Audience development led by Morgan Little. Special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.

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1 Comment

1 Comment

  1. @Ladynerd90

    March 19, 2026 at 12:34 pm

    Wonderful episode and much needed

    Reply

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CNET

I Played With Apple’s New iPhones. Here’s What Surprised Me Most | One More Thing

Spending time with the iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro has Bridget Carey rethinking what’s important in an iPhone upgrade. She breaks down the standout Duo features, what the crease is really like, and the questions she has for the future of Apple Watch and the next era of Apple. You can find the products…

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September 11, 2026

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Spending time with the iPhone Duo and iPhone 18 Pro has Bridget Carey rethinking what’s important in an iPhone upgrade. She breaks down the standout Duo features, what the crease is really like, and the questions she has for the future of Apple Watch and the next era of Apple.

You can find the products mentioned in this video linked below
Apple iPhone 17, US Version, 256GB, eSIM, Mist Blue- Unlocked (Renewed)
*Cnet may get commission on this offer.

Read more about it on CNET.com
I Tried the iPhone 18 Pro’s New Deluxe Camera and Shot Photos With Starbursts
Planning to Get the iPhone Duo or iPhone 18 Pro? Turn Off This Setting on Your Old Device First

Timecode Chapters:
0:00 Apple’s new iPhone Tricks
0:14 Reporting from the iPhone Event at Apple Park
0:19 Opening and Closing the iPhone Duo
0:28 Big changes coming to iPhone
0:38 John Ternus has One More Thing
0:46 Bridget Carey’s iPhone Duo event experience
1:03 iPhone Duo
1:14 Taking video on iPhone Duo
1:37 Smart Take on iPhone Duo
2:04 Snoopy comes to iPhone Duo
2:21 iPhone Duo crease
2:41 Hidden camera behind iPhone Duo screen
2:51 iPhone Duo size
3:11 iPhone Duo cases
3:28 MagSafe on iPhone Duo
3:34 iPhone 18 Pro updates
4:07 Aperture on iPhone 18 Pro
4:42 Apple Watch changes
4:43 Apple Watch audio intelligence, recording, transcribing
5:20 New Apple Watch sensor
5:33 New Apple iPhone and Apple Watch accessories
5:47 One More Tip to help cover the cost of your new iPhone
5:56 Get the most money for your iPhone trade-in
6:18 Let us know in the comments what you want to see from One More Thing

Video Credits:
Host: Bridget Carey
Scripted by: Bridget Carey
Producer: Carly Marsh
Camera: Celso Bulgatti, Bridget Carey
Video Editor: Carly Marsh
Thumbnail Designer: Tharon Green

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#iphone #apple #foldableiphone #iphoneduo

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CNET

Unboxing the $149 AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case

Apple announced the new AirPods 5 base model will remain at $129, but the step-up $149 model with a wireless charging case and Find My speaker might be more your style. Both will have active noise cancellation (ANC), which is an upgrade from the AirPods 4. Let’s unbox them with CNET executive editor David Carnoy.…

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September 10, 2026

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Apple announced the new AirPods 5 base model will remain at $129, but the step-up $149 model with a wireless charging case and Find My speaker might be more your style. Both will have active noise cancellation (ANC), which is an upgrade from the AirPods 4. Let’s unbox them with CNET executive editor David Carnoy. #apple #appleevent #airpods #unboxing #airpods5

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Science & Technology

Robotics Won’t Have a “ChatGPT Moment”

Mbodi co-founder Xavier Chi says there’s a fundamental difference between the two technologies: robotics doesn’t have an internet of data to learn from. Instead, he expects the robotics revolution to happen one real-world deployment at a time. Watch the full episode:

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September 10, 2026

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Mbodi co-founder Xavier Chi says there’s a fundamental difference between the two technologies: robotics doesn’t have an internet of data to learn from.
Instead, he expects the robotics revolution to happen one real-world deployment at a time.

Watch the full episode:

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