Startup CEO Coach Blog

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How much sleep do I need as a founder?

How much sleep do I need as a founder?

Chronic five-hour nights quietly erode a founder’s judgment, creativity, emotional regulation, and ability to make high-leverage decisions. Research shows that partial sleep deprivation impairs risk assessment, slows cognition, and narrows strategic thinking- often without the founder noticing the decline. Treating sleep as cognitive infrastructure, not a luxury, is one of the most reliable ways to improve leadership performance and protect your startup from avoidable mistakes.

Health
Productivity
Burnout
Sleep
Noah Shanok
Noah Shanok
December 5, 2025
November 16, 2025
Why do CEOs avoid the decisions they already know they need to make?

Why do CEOs avoid the decisions they already know they need to make?

CEOs often know the hard decision they need to make long before they act on it. The delay isn’t lack of data or timing—it’s the emotional cost of confronting fear, identity, or discomfort. Avoidance slows the company, erodes confidence, and drains momentum. Once a CEO names the real fear behind the hesitation, excuses disappear and action becomes straightforward. The fastest-moving founders are the ones who stop negotiating with themselves.

Mental Game
Decision Making
Noah Shanok
Noah Shanok
November 22, 2025
November 9, 2025
How do I balance transparency vs optimism with investors?

How do I balance transparency vs optimism with investors?

Founders often confuse confidence with optimism. Investors don’t need spin- they need competence. Be honest about what’s hard, clear about what you’re doing, and calm enough to earn trust.

Investors
Board Management
Noah Shanok
Noah Shanok
November 13, 2025
November 2, 2025

All Posts

How do startup CEOs avoid burnout?

Noah Shanok
Noah Shanok
November 6, 2025
September 21, 2025

I nearly burned out building Stitcher. Here are the hard-earned habits and mental frameworks that helped me stay healthy, sane, and effective while scaling a startup.

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How do I overcome imposter syndrome as a CEO?

Noah Shanok
Noah Shanok
November 6, 2025
September 25, 2025

I felt like an imposter running Stitcher. These mindset shifts and habits helped me build confidence, make decisions faster, and lead without letting self-doubt run the show.

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How do I handle conflict with my co-founder?

Noah Shanok
Noah Shanok
November 6, 2025
October 5, 2025

Co-founder conflict isn’t failure. The strongest founding teams face tension directly, get curious, align on goals, and use disagreement to build trust and make better decisions.

Read More
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