Scaling Smart: Avoiding Investor Fallout

The Business Emergency Room: For Leaders Facing Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity & Ambiguity (VUCA)

Trust is everything in leadership. Lose it, and investors won’t think twice about making a change.

Maartje van Krieken takes a hard look at investor trust in scaling businesses as she breaks down why half of founder-CEOs don’t last three years after investment. When trust erodes, misalignment creeps in, and investors start questioning whether leadership can take the company to the next stage.

This episode explores founder-CEO transitions, the growing tension between long-term vision and investor demands, and the red flags that make investors lose confidence. Maartje shares what founders can do to strengthen these relationships before they unravel.

In the end, success depends on investor relations and business growth—how well leaders communicate, manage expectations, and handle feedback. If investors are watching, evaluating, and holding the power to pull funding, how can founders stay ahead of the curve?

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Importance of Trust in Leadership

01:41 Benefits of Alignment with Investors

02:04 Recognizing Friction with Investors

04:14 Investors’ Frustration with Leadership

05:52 Strategic Risk Management Issues

07:32 Scaling Leadership and Bringing in Experienced Executives

09:21 Fixing Relationships with Investors

12:23 Agreeing on Escalation Protocols

13:30 Taking Investor Feedback Seriously

17:17 Being Proactive, Not Reactive

21:04 What Investors Can Do to Improve Alignment

23:44 Shared Strategic Risk Register

Links

Connect with Maartje van Krieken:

https://www.thechaosgamesconsulting.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maartje/

https://maartjeturnschaosaround.substack.com/

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