Episodes

Episode 4

When Co-Founders Collide: Navigating Co-Founder Relationships with Dr. Kelly Richmond Pope.

In this candid and revealing episode, Ivy sits down with her former co-founder, Kelly, for the first time since parting ways in their entrepreneurial journey. Together, they reflect on the founding of Helios, the challenges of working in a high-stakes startup, and the lessons they learned about co-founder relationships.

With 66% of high-potential startups failing due to co-founder conflict, Ivy and Kelly break down the dynamics that shaped their partnership-how their different work styles, expectations, and financial stakes influenced their business decisions. They revisit critical moments, from raising capital to navigating power struggles, and explore how their relationship evolved through the launch of All the Queen’s Horses, a documentary that took on a life of its own.

Despite their differences, Ivy and Kelly share a mutual respect and an understanding of what went right—and what they would do differently in future partnerships. As they reflect on the past, they also look ahead to a new collaboration, proving that even when co-founders collide, growth and reconciliation are possible.

Tune in for an honest discussion on startup struggles, leadership, and the complexities of business relationships.

Dr. Kelly Richmond Pope : Bio

Dr. Kelly Richmond Pope is the Dr. Barry Jay Epstein Endowed Professor of Forensic Accounting at DePaul University in Chicago, IL. Pope is a nationally recognized expert in risk, forensic accounting, and white-collar crime research and an award-winning educator, researcher, author, and documentary filmmaker. Pope's research on executive misconduct culminated in directing and producing All the Queen's Horses (Kartemquin Films/Helios Digital Learning 2017), which explores the largest municipal fraud in U.S. history. She is the author of Fool Me Once: Scams, Stories, and Secrets from the Trillion Dollar Fraud Industry(Harvard Business Review Press, 2023). Pope is a frequent international speaker to numerous corporations, nonprofits, and government agencies. Pope has appeared on news outlets such as CNBC, NPR, the BBC, and WGN-TV, offering commentary on fraud, risk, and ethics. Additionally, Pope has appeared in publications such as Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, CFO Drive, The Cut, Accounting Today, Forbes, The Washington Post, and The Daily Beast, discussing fraud and the need for sound internal controls.

You can follow and connect with Kelly on:
Instagram: @kellyrpope
LinkedIn Dr. Kelly Richmond Pope