This event is brought to you by Wildfire Labs in partnership with Elevate Rapid City. 

Most startups don’t fail because of a bad product; they fail because the founders can’t stay in the same room.

This presentation reframes the co-founder search from a hunt for "compatibility" to a test of "repairability". We will move past the "roommate instinct" and dive into a rigorous 7-day stress test, a minimal conflict operating system, and the "Three Languages" of founder communication. Whether you are looking for a partner or strengthening an existing one, you will leave with a toolkit to scale trust as fast as you scale your code.

Key Takeaways

• Move from "Vibes" to Verified Compatibility: Stop picking partners like roommates. You’ll get the 7-Day Stress Test, a rigorous simulation of real-world work, crisis, and values-alignment to reveal a partner's true colors before you sign the equity.
• Install a Conflict Operating System: Learn why "silent resentment" is a death sentence and how to prevent it using the Minimal Conflict OS—including the 5-minute Weekly Tension Check, the Pause Rule, and the 3-step Repair Ritual.
• Master the Three Languages of Alignment: Stop fighting about strategy when you’re actually fighting about identity. You’ll learn how to translate every high-stakes decision through Operational, Psychological, and Archetypal lenses to ensure you and your partner stay on the same team.
• Identify Walk-Away Red Flags: Gain a checklist of non-negotiables, such as the ability to own professional failures and a proven history of repairing relationships rather than just ending them.

You don’t need the perfect co-founder; you need a willing one. Join us to learn how to build a partnership that is truly repairable.

After attending, you’ll also get access to:

• “Co-Founder Health Check & Conflict OS” template.
• “Red Flag” tally sheet for those currently in the Co-Founder candidate selection phase.
• “Backchannel Script” to use when calling or talking to references provided by the candidate.

 About the Speaker:

Eric Martz

Eric is Co-founder of BroodStack, ControlQore, and the owner of Royal Elk Real Estate. He has spent the last 20 years in entrepreneurial and investment endeavors with several successful exits in the real estate and software industries; the largest of which was the development, construction, and operation of three assisted living facilities. This resulted in the care and management of 129 residents and 105 staff. Eric was also part of the investment and advisor team behind AdvisorPeak, a fintech software company that was acquired in 2021 by Addepar Inc. 

Prior to this, he managed several businesses in the hospitality and service-related industries. Eric has demonstrated a history of strong business leadership skills in strategic and business planning, financial management, operations management, customer service, team building, market research, and real estate development. He thoroughly enjoys mentoring budding entrepreneurs. 

Eric has a B.B.A. Financial Management degree from the University of North Dakota. He also has a commercial pilot's license with multi-engine and instrument ratings. 

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