The founder is slipping. They miss meetings. They show up unwell. Decisions stall. The team’s whispering, and the board’s watching—but no one wants to be the first to say it: the leader is in crisis, and the company is at risk.

This case study is especially relevant if you are:

• A board member watching a founder spiral without a safety plan

• A stakeholder trying to protect an investment without triggering scandal

• A team leader navigating dysfunction from the top

• A trusted advisor looking for a structured off-ramp

• A founder who knows something’s wrong—but doesn’t know how to stop

The goal wasn’t to remove him. It was to protect everything else.

This case study shows how Pholus quietly intervened after a high-functioning founder declined into alcoholism under pressure. We designed a dignified role reduction, aligned the board around protective governance, and ultimately executed a clean, controversy-free exit. The organization survived—and so did its mission.

If your founder is struggling and no one knows what to do next, this case study may help you see how to act before the damage becomes permanent.

Download it now and read it quietly. You’ll know if it applies.