
Original
The Co-Founder
Contemporary, Black author
NEW!
Listen ad-free in any app
A Realm Unlimited benefit

Original
The Co-Founder
Contemporary, Black author
NEW!
Listen ad-free in any app
A Realm Unlimited benefit
Two young start-up founders, both women of color, are on the brink of losing their company; a fate they narrowly avoid thanks to a hairbrained scheme to have their neighborhood barista— a white dude, of course— pretend to be the third founder in order to raise money. But when the barista reveals he has a scheme of his own to keep the company in his clutches, hijinks and hilarity ensue.
Valerie and Juliet are more than just best friends: they are business partners in the cutthroat world of Silicon Valley, where their video game startup is on the verge of failure. They are exhausted: between running out of capital and being treated like dirt during their fundraising meetings with big-deal finance bros, they need a win, or it’s game-over. They need…a white guy.
It was only supposed to be one meeting; one meeting where neighborhood barista and Random White Dude Toby Johnson pretended to be a co-founder to clinch the investment cash. But one million dollars later, Toby shows no signs of going with grace. Instead, he plots to entrench himself further into their company, which he had no part in founding, and unless Valerie and Juliet want the truth to come out—and to kiss their company goodbye—they have to play along.
But Valerie and Juliet have been playing together since they were young. That’s why they started a video game company; and to save it, they are willing to break all the rules.
Starring Sunita Mani and Alexandra Shipp. Voiced by Loa Valdez, Kavi Ladnier, Leon Mandel, Samia Mounts, Gillian Munsayac, Tania Possick, Ryan Vincent Anderson, Bartley Booz, Cecily Louise Breaux, Vishesh Chachra, Will Dao, Tre Hall, and Angel Harper. Written by Mimi Mondal, Alexis Wilkinson, and Alexa Wejko.
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Episodes
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1. Build Mode
Best friends and business partners Valerie and Juliet have been struggling to secure funding for their gaming start up, WILY, but Valerie has an idea that could change everything.
2. Level Up
Juliet's crush agrees to pose as WILY's fictional 3rd co-founder, but he makes a bold first move that neither of them see coming.
3. Three-Hit Combo
Team WILY has their biggest success yet, but tensions flare between the “three” co-founders and Valerie hatches a new plan of her own.
4. Cheat Code
Suddenly flush with cash, Valerie and Juliet can’t seem to agree on how to spend it, but Toby has his own ideas.
5. Real-Time Strategy
At WILY’s launch party, everyone’s secrets start to come to light and a former frienemy becomes an unexpected ally.
6. Away From Keyboard
Toby makes big moves to get Valerie and Reina out of his way, and in response, Valerie makes a shocking decision.
7. Game Over?
Growing bolder and bolder, Toby’s behavior finally sends everyone over the edge.
8. The Final Boss
In the wake of their latest confrontation with Toby, Juliet and Valerie uncover the mystery investor behind it all.