News that has shaken me to my very core.
One of my clients — someone I had worked closely with, someone I had tried hard to help — ended his life.
And not just his own — he also took the lives of his young family: his wife and his child.
I am heartbroken. I am at a loss for words.
For those who have been following my updates, you might remember "the hostile co-founder case" I wrote about around six months ago.
Today, I share the full story — not for sensationalism, but in the hope that it serves as a lesson, a mirror, and perhaps a warning for entrepreneurs and dreamers everywhere.
A brilliant founder, raised millions of dollars and gained recognition from the PM.
Like many lonely founders, he searched for a co-founder to share his vision.
He found someone — a man he barely knew, but with whom he vibed.
Within days, he got him on the board.
And that, unfortunately, was the beginning of the end.
While my client moved abroad to drive R&D and fundraising, he entrusted the co-founder with the entire India operations.
The trust was deeply misplaced.
Unknown to him, the new co-founder was siphoning funds, and leaving liabilities unpaid — employees, vendors, taxes, even rent.
Worse, some of the money was laundered back as "kickbacks" to protect himself.
By the time my client realized, it was too late.
He was drowning in legal notices — EPFO dues, GST defaults & debts.
Investors circled like vultures, placing the entire blame on him.
In desperation, he sold off ancestral property to cover dues.
His 80-year-old mother — devastated — stayed in touch with me, pleading for help.
Despite my repeated advice to lodge criminal complaints against the rogue co-founder, he hesitated.
I knew he was hiding things, but he wouldn't disclose everything — perhaps out of guilt, fear, or misplaced loyalty.
Until today — when I received the heartbreaking news.
Lessons I will never forget — and hope you never will either:
➡️ Know your partners deeply. Trust must be earned, not gifted.
➡️ Do not involve family members unnecessarily in business.
➡️ My client's wife and mother were made directors. When things collapsed, they were trapped with him.
➡️ Stay ambitious, but don't let ambition cross into reckless greed.
➡️ It is better to walk away and rebuild than to risk everything — even your life.
➡️ Seek help early. File complaints early. Exit toxic partnerships early.
There is no shame in failure, but irreparable damage cannot be undone.
Mental health is everything.
If you're struggling, seek help.
My client finished his family in the USA, far from home, far from all the dreams he once had.
This horrific tragedy will stay etched in my memory forever.
I tried to help. I wish I could have done more.
To every entrepreneur, every founder reading this:
Your dream is precious — but your life, and your family's life, is infinitely more so.
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