From values on paper to clear leadership behaviours people could use every day.
In the second company, burnout, low retention and eventual closure made the cost of that gap clear.
The company was founded in 2020 to optimise human performance through brain health. Its co-founders had already scaled two startups, but had not invested systematically in their own leadership. This time, they wanted to build a developmental culture from day one while scaling quickly.
Clarified the founders’ values, leadership patterns and long-term direction.
Translated each company value into clear behaviours that supported or undermined it.
Embedded those behaviours into hiring, onboarding and performance practices.
Defined structured criteria and interview guidance for assessing leadership capability and values alignment.
Assessed senior hires through psychometrics, structured interviews and role-relevant evidence.
Coached the founders through ongoing reflection, behaviour change and leadership consistency.
Team growth in 8 months
NPS score achieved
Founding round closed
Staff retention at 12 months
Founders gained clearer insight into their leadership blind spots and decision patterns.
Observable leadership standards were established across the team.
Hiring, onboarding and performance expectations were aligned around the company's values.