Originally published on Growth by Design

    This article was first published on the Growth by Design newsletter by Diraj Goel, CEO of GetFresh Ventures

    KTLO: The Founder Floor

    What it really costs to keep going, and how to build from clarity instead of chaos.

    By Diraj GoelJuly 19, 2025
    1 min read
    KTLO: The Founder Floor
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    I’ve had more conversations than I can count with founders holding it together by a thread.

    Founders negotiating with panic attacks in private, carrying the weight of payroll, mortgage payments, and investor updates while trying to protect their team and explain to their family why their life savings are tied up in a dream with no guarantee of return.

    The anxiety is crushing. The pressure is unrelenting. The consequences are personal.

    Every founder deserves a clear operating system for survival - before the vision takes flight, before the raise lands, before the pitch deck converts.

    KTLO is that system. A foundational element of our Growth by Design we employ for our portfolio companies at GetFresh Ventures.

    Keep The Lights On is more than a budgeting tool. It is your baseline operating framework. It defines what it costs to stay alive as a business and as a person. It shows you what’s required to fulfill your obligations, preserve your energy, and control the dials of your company before…

    About Diraj Goel

    Diraj is the CEO and Founder of GetFresh Ventures. He's an operator who has scaled companies to $100M+ revenue and helped 200+ fellow companies raise $500M+ collectively through the Growth by Design methodology.

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