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The NYU Summer Launchpad is known for equipping early-stage founders with structure, support, and accountability. But as the program drew to a close, much of the guidance and built-in rhythm started to fade. In a recent workshop, SLP alum Britt Martin (GSAS ‘17) – startup operator, consultant, and co-founder of Food Period – guided founders through that transition, sharing hard-won lessons on building an operating cadence that endures beyond the program.

The Challenge of Post-Accelerator Independence

Martin began by reflecting on her own post-Launchpad experience: how the initial comfort of external accountability gave way to the ambiguity and pressure of self-management. She emphasized a universal founder pain point – the abrupt drop in structure and support that follows any accelerator or academic entrepreneurship stint. Without weekly check-ins, assignment deadlines, or a cohort of peers, it’s easy for teams to drift or lose focus.

Four Pillars for a Lasting Founder Operating System

Martin outlined a tactical playbook grounded in her startup journey – designed for new graduates working to maintain momentum and discipline. Here are her “four pillars” for your first operating system as founders:

1. Meeting Cadence
   • Set regular internal meetings and clarify ownership (who runs the agenda, notes decisions, tracks action items).
   • Examples: Daily stand-ups for alignment, a weekly operations review, and a monthly strategy session (invite advisors/founders-in-residence when helpful).
   • Don’t be afraid to iterate– if you need an extra meeting for fundraising, add it.
2. Key Milestones
   • Limit yourself to 3 focused milestones for a 90-day horizon.
   • Each milestone should be specific, measurable, and time-bound.
   • Use these as a gut check: Is what you’re doing today actually moving the needle on these core goals?
3. Core Metrics
   • Pick 2-4 key metrics that ladder up to your milestones. These are your compasses.
   • Track progress every week – even if the number is zero. Honest, objective self-reflection is crucial for internal trust and course correction.
4. Communication Norms
   • Align on primary communication tools (Slack, Notion, Google Drive, etc.).
   • Institute regular asynchronous updates (Friday wrap-ups, written peer check-ins).
   • Document big decisions to prevent mismatched expectations.
   • Build a feedback routine and culture, with retrospectives after major milestones.

Bonus: Explicitly define ownership and responsibilities — who is accountable for which areas, and what does each founder’s “swim lane” look like operationally.

Real Talk: Focus, Accountability, and Relationship Management

Martin repeatedly underscored that the most important determinant to a startup’s success is not just a great idea, but the operating chemistry between cofounders. Open communication, shared expectations around workflow, and internal accountability are far more critical, and harder to get right, once you lose the scaffolding of outside programs.

Mistakes happen. Martin recounted her own “communication miss,” reminding attendees that even with routines, unspoken assumptions can cause friction. The solution is nearly always more explicit conversation and documentation, not less.

The 90-Day Challenge

Martin’s core advice? Build your next 90 days intentionally. Treat this transition as a moment to install your own scaffolding: create a simple ops canvas covering meetings, milestones, metrics, and comms. Review it weekly. Adjust and iterate, just as you would your business model. Success in this window can make or break early momentum and team cohesion for the months ahead.

She closed by encouraging founders to be honest about where they're stretched thin, lean on each other for feedback and support, and continually ask the hard questions — of themselves, and their team. And to remember: consistency and focus now pay outsized dividends down the road.

If you’re stepping out of SLP or any similar program, Martin’s workshop makes a case for putting founder operations and culture front and center as you chart your own path.