Ep 1.6 • From Co-Founders to Life Partners | Interview with How to Change the World
🎙️ Startup Lessons from Co-Founders turned Life Partners 💕 Meet Alana Health (COO) & Professor Jason Blackstock (CEO), a co-founder pair turned married couple.
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Professor Jason Blackstock (CEO) and social entrepreneur Alana Heath (COO) are co-founders of the social enterprise How to Change the World. Spun out of University College London (UCL), their organization provides students and early career professionals with the skills and mindsets to build a greener, more equitable future.
During his years as the founding head of a new department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy at University College London (UCL), Jason launched the How to Change the World course, which in 2016 became a required capstone course for students. Jason and his close friend and colleague, Dr. Duncan Stewart, had a big vision for bringing this course to communities and schools around the world.
In 2019, Alana and Jason serendipitously met at a cooking class in London. Their shared professional interests brought them together for coffee the following weekend, and the rest is history. Alana’s operational excellence, professional expertise as a social entrepreneur and impact investor, and shared passion for dreaming big led the trio - Jason, Duncan, and Alana - to formally become co-founders at an offsite in Ottowa.
Over time, discussions about values and future visions led them to realize their personal alignment along with their professional compatibility, sparking a romantic relationship alongside their business venture. Alana and Jason's story highlights navigating changing team dynamics with Duncan’s transition from co-founder to advisor, the importance of shared values in both professional and personal relationships, and their “family-first” principles when balancing challenges like family health issues while maintaining their commitment to their startup. Their journey provides insights into the rare but rewarding possibility of a successful co-founder and romantic partnership.
In our conversation, we discuss:
• The Initial Connection: Professional or Romantic?
• When the Spouse Role is in Tension the CXO Role
• Putting Values to the Test in Times of Crisis
• Not Shying Away from Contingency Planning
• The “One Life” / Pie Chart Model to Life Priorities
Some takeaways:
“You can have it all, but probably not all at the same time” - Alana. Instead of striving for work-life balance, view life as a single pie chart where priorities may shift over time. Make sure your business and life partners know your short- and long-term priorities. (Resource: The Pie Chart Model - Life Priorities)
Shared Values as Your North Star: Values are tested during challenging periods, such as personal crises or startup uncertainties. Spend time up front to determine your partnership’s shared values (See Resource: Uncover Your Co-Founder’s Values) "Talk about values, make that a foundational part of your first conversations early on." - Jason
What Happens when the Role of a Co-Founder and Spouse are in Tension? When wearing multiple hats (e.g., co-founder and spouse), discuss with yoru partner which you are going to prioritize. “Family first means the wife hat goes on first. And if that means the COO always has to figure more out than she thought, then she does that.” - Alana
Discuss Contingency Plans: Have open discussions about potential future scenarios, including changes in roles or exits from the company, to ensure alignment and preparedness. “If I haven't made myself redundant in five to six years, then I really haven't been doing my job very well as a founding CEO” - Jason
Great couples don’t always make good co-founders, and vice versa: Reflect on *your* ideal partnership both personally and professionally. Do you like to have to share work and life with the same people? Do you prefer to have more of a separation? The right answer is the one that is right for you.
Where to find How to Change the World:
Website: https://www.htctw.org/
Email: info@htctw.org
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/htctw/
Where to find Annie Garofalo, host & startup team relationship expert:
Website: https://www.confidante.info
Newsletter: https://confidante.substack.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annie-garofalo/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/thecofounderconfidante
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the.cofounder.confidante
Twitter: https://twitter.com/anniegarofal0
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheCoFounderConfidante
In this episode, we cover:
00:00 Episode Highlights
00:47 Introduction
01:43 Origin Story: A Chance Meeting That Changed Everything
02:22 The Initial Connection: Professional or Personal?
03:04 Alana's Leap into a New Venture
04:06 The Evolution from Advisor to Co-Founder
05:38 Identifying the Missing Piece: Alana's Role in the Company
07:01 The Power of Complementary Skill Sets
09:45 Navigating the Early Days of Collaboration
13:35 The Birth of a Personal Relationship Amidst Professional Growth
18:40 Values at the Core: Building a Life and Company Together
21:22 Challenges and Triumphs of Being Married Co-Founders
26:30 Future Planning and Contingency Conversations
34:23 Final Thoughts and Advice for Founding Teams
References & Resources:
• Uncover Your Co-Founder’s Values: https://confidante.substack.com/p/do-you-know-your-co-founders-values
• The “One Life / Pie” Mentality: https://confidante.substack.com/p/understanding-your-co-founders-life
Podcast produced by www.confidante.info. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email podcast@confidante.info. Annie may be an investor, advisor, or coach for the companies discussed.
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