Most startups don’t end with headlines—they fade with a flicker. In this candid episode, Joanna Trojak shares the slow, quiet signs that her first company was failing and the psychology that kept her pushing long after the data (and her gut) said “stop.” We unpack sunk-cost fallacy, loss aversion, confirmation bias, identity fusion, and why intermittent wins can make founders addicted to “one more feature.”

You’ll hear a practical framework to tell burnout from real failure, how to listen to your body as much as your metrics, and why letting go can be the most courageous leadership move you make. Joanna also explains how closing one venture created space for her next—building a self-dating app with clearer boundaries, better feedback loops, and a healthier identity.

What you’ll learn

• The subtle red flags: sliding engagement, reactive roadmaps, and celebration without progress
• The brain traps: sunk cost (Kahneman & Tversky), escalation of commitment, reward loops (Judson Brewer), idea attachment (Gregory Berns)
• Tools that bring clarity: pre-mortems, expressive writing (James Pennebaker), daily motivation checks
• A decision filter: vision-led vs. panic-driven moves; tired vs. truly disconnected
• How to grieve the ending and carry forward the ROI of failure: wisdom, resilience, clarity, humility

Perfect for: founders, operators, product builders, and anyone standing at the line between “push through” and “let go.”

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