Hi 👋 I'm Matt, a 2X (exited) founder turned CEO coach.
If you are curious about coaching, let's chat.
I coach founders and leaders on the hardest parts of company building: managing your own psychology, focusing on the things that actually matter, building a company culture that can survive the turmoil of growth, and the dozens of other topics that no one wants to talk about and which leave leaders feeling alone.
I also write about the most difficult parts of entrepreneurship. I like to cover topics that aren’t often talked about like Founder Burnout, Founder Psychology, and Co-founder Conflict.
The core belief behind my work is that it is possible to navigate entrepreneurship with less suffering and more thriving.
If you want to learn more about the coaching firm I founded, check us out at Sanity Labs.
If you think you could benefit from a coach in your corner, reach out here.
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My journey through founder burnout.
I realized in October of 2016 that I was burned out and wanted a path out of the CEO role. Here’s my own story and the secret internal dialogue I’m hearing as a coach to other founders.
What I have learned about founder burnout — as a founder and coach
My path through burnout included getting out of the CEO role by exiting the business. This transition came almost three years after my realization I wanted to get out of the role. However, it is not necessary for every founder experiencing burnout to get out of the role to find relief.
The magic your meetings are missing
Leverage the power of check-ins to level-up meetings and bring your team closer
Handling Layoffs with Grace
In 2016, we laid off 80% of our staff. The remaining team stuck together, scaled the business, and sold it three years later. Here's how we got through the layoffs and how you can too.
Why I’ve Decided to Start Coaching Startup Leaders
I spent 7 years running my last venture-backed startup. I don’t know if I would have survived without the help of the leadership coaches who came alongside me and helped me transform the way I understood the role of a leader. The work changed me as a person, as
Sanity Notes #038: The Freedom That Comes When You Stop Trying to Get It Right
A small moment with my daughter that I wish I could have given my younger founder self
The Founder’s Guide to QSBS: Understanding the 2025 Updates and Avoiding Costly Mistakes
A short review of one of the most misunderstood parts of startup compensation: qualified small-business stock.
Sanity Notes #037: On becoming the predator
I grew up wired for self-protection. Many founders did. Here’s how we can learn to shift from prey energy to a grounded, steady predator stance when it matters most.
One of the best ROI decisions I’ve ever made was hiring Matt Munson. Matt played a pivotal role in helping me navigate the sale of my A16Z-backed company to Medium, and has been my go-to sounding board as a founder. Having Matt on your side is an unfair advantage that I wish every company leader could have.
Warren Shaeffer
Partner, Pear VC & Prior CEO, Knowable (acquired)
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