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As Summer Launchpad (SLP) entered Week 6, founders shifted their focus to balancing investor expectations and self-care.

Week 6 Recap:

Workshop: Talent (Hiring & Firing)

Manya Ellenberg

On July 16, founders joined Manya Ellenberg, senior vice president of people at Thyme Care, for tips and tricks behind early-stage hiring strategy. Ellenberg believes hiring without alignment leads to costly mistakes. Founders can avoid this by defining roles clearly and gathering input from advisers or investors before extending offers.

Ellenberg also reminded the cohort that if they’re bogged down by tasks such as scheduling, onboarding, or managing receipts, it’s likely time to hire. The right team should free founders to focus on the work only they can do.

Manya Ellenberg on Hiring and Firing:

“Hire slowly, fire quickly — nobody regrets firing too fast, but most regret waiting too long to terminate ... I think you have to treat people really right on the way out ... by being generous on severance."

Workshop: Founder Wellness

Ayman Mukerji Househam (Silver '21)

On July 17, founders stepped away from their screens for a wellness workshop led by Ayman Mukerji Househam (Silver ‘21), founder of Jivika, who drew on her background in neuroimmunology and mindfulness.

Ayman Mukerji Househam on Building Habits:

“Good habits cost you now, but pay off later. Bad habits reward you now, but cost you in the future. To build better habits, find ways to make them rewarding in the present.”

Stay tuned for more updates from SLP!