Establishing clear board rules in 19 days for a startup
Three founders couldn't agree on legal issues. We created a unique cooperation regulation for them that ended power struggles.
TechPoint West is a Perth company that in January 2025 got stuck at a standstill due to a lack of clear rules. Three founders had great code but argued over every invoice over 1,200 AUD, which effectively paralyzed the company's development.
The challenge
For 118 days, the team couldn't make a key decision about choosing a new server room because each boss had a different vision. The lack of a clear division of competencies led to an external investor withholding a transfer of 453,200 AUD, waiting for order in the paperwork. The atmosphere in the office on Adelaide Terrace was so thick that two key developers submitted resignations in the same week because they didn't know who to listen to. Simply humanly – there was decision-making chaos in the company.
Our approach
We started with hard facts, not fluff about vision. We conducted individual interviews with each founder in a café next to their office to hear the truth without witnesses. We analyzed the 14 most recent contentious situations and mapped them on a board, showing exactly where communication broke down. Our Perth team focused on concrete numbers: how many hours a week they waste on arguing and how much the lack of a signature on one contract actually costs them.
The solution
We delivered TechPoint West a 'Cooperation Constitution' – a simple, 8-page document that replaced previous, unclear arrangements. We introduced a two-signature rule for expenses above 7,800 AUD, and below that amount, we gave everyone full freedom in their department. (By the way, most problems were solved by simply determining who can buy coffee and small office equipment without asking the others for permission). Each boss got their own territory: one is responsible for the product, the second for sales, the third for law and operations.
Results
Within 18.5 days, TechPoint West went from arguing about every dollar to full operational efficiency. The investor unblocked the funds on January 29, 2025, and the company hired 3 new people to replace those who left during the crisis.
Timeline
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January 7, 2025Audit of current disputes and analysis of blockages in the Northbridge office.
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January 14, 20251-on-1 interviews with the founders: Lachlan, Mark, and Sarah.
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January 19, 2025Decision workshop and establishment of hard financial thresholds.
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January 26, 2025Signing of new rules and implementation of the expense reporting system.
"NeoMetrics didn't fluff about synergy. They set us hard boundaries that we were missing. Now we just do our job without arguing over every 100 dollars, which saved our contract."