The Distance Between Us
Rebuilding Co-Founder Trust, Resolving Conflict or Ending the Partnership with Dignity
For founders facing strain, silence, misalignment, or a difficult decision about what comes next
When the partnership is under strain
Co-founder relationships rarely fail because of one difficult conversation. More often, trust erodes gradually: decisions slow down, roles become blurred, resentment goes unspoken and the business begins to carry the cost.
The Distance Between Us is a practical, psychologically informed guide to understanding what is happening and deciding what to do next: rebuild trust, redesign the partnership or prepare for a more conscious separation.
Written by founder, board adviser and co-founder conflict specialist Jane Hales, it combines lived business experience with structured tools for clearer conversations and better decisions.
What the book offers
Through the story of three founders building a growing agency, The Distance Between Us explores the patterns that can derail even capable, well-intentioned partnerships.
Alongside the narrative, you will find practical tools to help you:
- Recognise early signs of strain before they become entrenched conflict
- Separate relationship issues from operational and strategic disagreements
- Hold more constructive conversations about roles, contribution, risk and reward
- Decide whether to repair, redesign or end the partnership with greater clarity
- Protect the relationship and the business through periods of change
Practical frameworks
The book introduces selected models from Jane’s advisory work, including:
- The Stormline Map™ — identify where tension sits, from background friction to open conflict
- The Partnership Pulse™ Protocol — create the right space for governance, strategy, operations and relationship maintenance
- Branching Paths of Choice — assess whether to rebuild, redesign or prepare for a dignified exi
Who it’s for
This book is for:
- Founders who want to protect a valuable partnership before strain becomes crisis
- Co-founders working through misalignment, recurring conflict or an uncertain future
- Scaling businesses whose founder relationship needs stronger structure and clearer governance
- Advisers, coaches and mentors supporting founder teams through growth and change
About Jane Hales
Jane Hales is a co-founder conflict specialist, board adviser and former founder. Having built and exited a £3m business, she now helps founders and leadership teams address the relationship dynamics that affect decision-making, governance and growth.
The Distance Between Us brings together more than 30 years of commercial experience, observation and practical work with leadership relationships.