In this episode of Business Ninjas, host Andrew Lippman sits down with Logan Yonavjak, Co-Founder and CEO of the Founder Readiness Institute. Logan shares how her two decades in impact investing, natural capital, and startup financing led her to launch a groundbreaking new tool: the Founder Readiness Level. Unlike typical assessments, this framework measures a founder’s ability to handle complexity, pivot under pressure, and grow as a leader—giving early-stage investors and founders a clearer picture of “people risk” in startups.

💡 Standardizing Founder Assessment to Improve Startup Success

The Founder Readiness Institute sits at the intersection of psychology, leadership, and venture investing. Their assessments go beyond more traditionally static traits like extroversion or conscientiousness, instead evaluating coachability, resilience, systems thinking, and vertical development. With follow-on coaching and support, the tool helps uncover both risks and overlooked opportunities—reducing investor bias while empowering founders with actionable feedback. Backed by research, a co-founder trained in psychology and data science, and plans for academic partnerships, the Institute aims to make “founder readiness” as essential as technology readiness in the investment process.

🔗 Learn more about Founder Readiness Institute 

💼 Connect with Founder Readiness Institute on LinkedIn

👤 Connect with Logan Yonavjak on LinkedIn

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