"What do I do if I feel like I can't trust my co-founder?"

Dan sent this to the Peer Effect Post Bag. And if you're asking this question, James Johnson and Freddie Birley know it's probably not the first time you've had that thought.

This is Season 6 of Post Bag. James and Freddie are founder coaches who've worked through dozens of co-founder conflicts.

Here's what they break down:

Trust has two components.

(1) Do they have my back emotionally? Are they loyal?

(2) Can I consistently count on them to follow through on what they say?

Which one are you actually struggling with? Most people can't separate the two. Once you identify it, you can address it.

Most co-founder conflict is misalignment on roles and responsibilities. Not personality clashes. Not values misalignment. Just ambiguity around what each person is supposed to do and be accountable for.

You need clarity on two types of expectations. Business expectations: roles, responsibilities, vision alignment. Personal expectations: how you treat each other as humans, not just co-founders. Most people skip the personal conversation entirely.

How to actually have the conversation. Express your feelings. Take responsibility for them. Express your need clearly. Give the other person a chance to know what they could do differently.

You can't control your co-founder. Only your own response. Only your communication. Only whether you create conditions that increase likelihood of it working. If they're not open to feedback, not willing to discuss, not willing to change - that's significant risk to the business.

Trust can be rebuilt. The idea that "once trust is broken, it's gone" is wrong. Trust can absolutely be rebuilt. It takes time, consistency, great communication, and willingness from both people. But it's possible. Sometimes relationships are stronger after because you've had the hard conversations.

Crisis either brings you closer or makes differences obvious. Power together or power apart. You don't have to be attached to a certain outcome. But you do have to be willing to have the hard conversations.

One action: Listen to the end for James and Freddie's specific advice on what to address first.

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