Founder Divorce Is Expensive. Here’s How to Avoid It.

Author

Benjamin Friedman
May 19, 2026

Morning beehiivcommunity!

This newsletter tackles the dilemma, “How do I know what I don’t know?” with pointed predictions, practical takeaways, and curated NYC events to help founders and CFOs expand options and build resilience.

Author Created Image

Should I Marry My Co-Founder?

Choosing a spouse or a co-founder can permanently change the trajectory of your life. It may be the most impactful decision you ever make.

So you should treat the decision with that same gravity. The best partnerships are built on interdependence, where both people amplify each other’s strengths and support each other’s weaknesses. Other strong signals: healthy conflict, genuine enjoyment of each other, and deep alignment on values, goals, and ethics.

Before you commit, pressure-test the relationship. This post breaks down the key dynamics and practical ways to assess whether your partnership can go the distance.

You can read the full post HERE.

Photo by Leah Friedman

Two Upcoming CFO Events: AI Risk & Fractional Strategy

Most CFOs are underestimating two shifts: 

  • AI-execution tradeoffs 

  • The rise of fractional careers

The NY Tech CFO Group is hosting two upcoming sessions to tackle both head-on. 

Tomorrow at 6 pm, CFOs at the Frontline of AI Risk will feature a candid panel on balancing AI-driven growth with sound accountability, discipline, and risk management.

One exciting addition: ​Samrah Kazmi, CISO + Chief Innovation Officer at RESRG, who operates at the intersection of cybersecurity and innovation, where AI risk gets very real.

If you're evaluating new AI tools and want a clearer framework, register HERE.

On June 10, Designing Your Fractional Practice focuses on a different shift: building and growing a sustainable fractional career from pipeline to prosperity.

We’ll cover how to consistently win the right clients, manage capacity, and structure engagements that actually work financially and operationally.

If you’re building (or considering) a fractional path, register HERE.

Expert Tips for Startups

Founders: Stop Pitching, Start Extracting

When founders to introduce themselves to investors, here’s what could be improved:

1. Send 3 sentences of context 24 hours before — what you do, where you're at, and what you want from the meeting. It signals that you take the VC's time seriously.

2. Lead with the question, not the pitch. Most founders burn 8-10 minutes on ‘here's what we do.’ Open with: ‘The reason I wanted your time is — I'm stuck on X.’

3. Have a specific outcome in mind, not ‘a relationship.’ “I want one intro to a logistics-focused angel,” or “I want a sanity check on my pricing model,” or “I want to know if my GTM motion sounds crazy.”

4. Stop trying to close. Start trying to extract. Your only job is to learn something useful or earn one concrete next step (an intro, a follow-up, or permission to send an update).

This post is written by Charlie O’Donnell, an investment coach and founder of next.nyc.

Zenskar is an AI-native revenue platform that eliminates the manual work between a signed contract and recognized revenue.

 Instead of rules-based automation, Zenskar's AI understands your pricing models, syncs to your GL, and autonomously handles billing, collections, and revenue recognition. 

Zenskar is a proud sponsor of CFOs at the Frontline of AI Risk to be held in NYC tomorrow evening.

Build What Matters, Without Burning Out

For founders, the gap between big ideas and consistent follow‑through is where companies fail. But plans don’t matter until you do something with them.

Build Scale Grow turns ambition into growth. We lead cross-team projects, align outcomes with clear metrics, and reduce the risks that derail progress. You get high‑level thinking for a fraction of the cost of a full-time executive, so you can scale smarter.

Email us at [email protected] or click HERE for a free consultation.