Hey, I’m Inès and I'm here to share some career insights! I’m currently the Growth Manager at TORTUS, an AI healthcare startup, where I was the first and only commercial hire, helping take the company from £0 to £1M ARR. But before this, I joined as a Founder’s Associate, a role that’s often mysterious and hard to define.

Now that I’ve been at TORTUS for nine months, I’ve been reflecting on what this role actually means, how to think about career progression from it, and when it’s time to pivot or move on.

Founder’s Associate roles can be amazing stepping stones, but only if you play your cards right. Here’s my take on how to make the most of it.

How I Became a Founder’s Associate (The Most Unconventional Interview Ever)

My journey into the Founder’s Associate role was anything but traditional. A headhunter reached out to me after I’d already done a stint as a Founder’s Associate at another startup. The interview process? Super light. A couple of questions, a case study… and then an in-person meeting with the CEO.

Except it wasn’t a meeting.

The CEO called me and said:

I had no idea what to expect. So, naturally, I over-prepared. Blazer, smart trousers, laptop, notebook, pen—ready for anything. I show up, and the CEO is in trainers and a t-shirt, typical start-up style.

I thought I was there to observe, maybe have a quick chat about the company. Instead, I watched him pitch our AI-powered medical scribe to potential customers. Then, out of nowhere, he hands me a microphone and says:

No script, no prep, just straight in. I ended up holding the stand for two hours, demoing the product. It was stressful, intense, and completely exhilarating.

That moment sealed the deal for me. I realized:

• The product actually solves a real problem. Seeing doctors and hospital teams light up when they understood how it worked made that clear.

• The CEO’s mindset was all about learning by doing—exactly the kind of environment I thrive in.

And so, I became the Founder’s Associate at TORTUS.

What Even Is a Founder’s Associate?

Here’s the thing: the Founder’s Associate role is whatever the company needs it to be. There’s no single definition. But in most cases, it’s:

The scope depends on:

• Company size & stage – A startup under £1M ARR has different needs than one at £10M+.

• Fundraising situation – Pre-seed? Raising a Series A? Just closed funding?

• CEO’s working style – Some will trust you with everything, others will micromanage.

I like to think of it as a Chief of Staff for an early-stage startup. You’re the glue between teams, solving problems that don’t fit neatly into anyone else’s job description.

The Chaos of Being a Founder’s Associate

When I joined TORTUS, my job was a bit of… everything.

• Fundraising: Helped with the Series A—building investor materials, managing the process.

• Operations: Managed freelancers, improved internal processes.

• Commercial Strategy: Helped build the go-to-market strategy from scratch.

There was no commercial team before I joined, so we were figuring everything out from first principles:

• Who are our ideal customers?

• How do we structure our sales funnel?

• What does outbound prospecting look like?

• What pricing should we use for enterprise deals?

There’s no playbook when you’re starting from zero. You’re building the plane while flying it.

The 3–6 Month “Make or Break” Moment

Around the four-month mark, things started to shift. At this stage, most Founder’s Associates will either:

1. Earn the CEO’s trust and start taking on real ownership.

2. Fail to integrate with the team and end up sidelined (or let go).

I’ve seen people get stuck because they focused too narrowly (e.g. only working on fundraising), and once that task was done, they weren’t needed anymore.

This stage is all about proving you can adapt and add value beyond your initial role.

How a Founder’s Associate Evolves

If you survive the first six months, your career can go in a few directions:

1. Becoming Chief of Staff

Once a startup reaches £1M+ ARR, the focus shifts from product-market fit to scaling. A Chief of Staff typically focuses on:

• Hiring & team structure

• Creating internal processes

• Building an execution rhythm

2. Transitioning Into a Functional Role

Many Founder’s Associates move into:

• Commercial (like me) – Sales, partnerships, business development.

• Product – Product management or go-to-market strategy.

• Operations & Growth – Internal systems, automation, and scaling processes.

I moved into Growth Management, owning the sales funnel, strategy, and execution.

Key Questions to Ask at the 6-Month Mark

If you’re a Founder’s Associate wondering about your next step, ask yourself:

1. What’s the CEO’s vision for me?

   • Have an honest conversation—where do they see you evolving?

2. What do I actually want to specialize in?

   • Sales? Product? Ops? Partnerships?

3. Where does the company need me most?

   • Look for gaps that need filling.

4. Is the company still the right fit?

   • If things aren’t progressing, it’s okay to move on.

When to Leave a Founder’s Associate Role

If after 6–12 months, you feel:

• The company isn’t growing.

• The CEO isn’t investing in your progression.

• You’re not being given opportunities to specialize…

Then it’s time to leave.

Staying too long in a vague role can actually hurt your career progression. If you feel like your skills aren’t developing, start planning your exit early.

Final Thoughts

Being a Founder’s Associate is one of the best roles to get broad startup experience—but it’s not a job where you can just sit back and wait for things to happen.

You have to:

✅ Be proactive

✅ Learn by doing

✅ Push for your own career progression

If you’re someone who thrives in chaos, ambiguity, and problem-solving on the fly—this role can be a launchpad to anything.

So, if you’re in (or considering) a Founder’s Associate role, ask yourself:

If the answer is yes, go for it. 🚀

Helpful Resources

• Follow Inès’ Substack for more health tech and growth related content

• Listen to Inès on tl;dl’s 15th episode

• Find out about open positions if you’re looking for PMM roles

As always, feel free to reply to this email if you have any questions!