← The Kristina Subbotina Show
January 27, 2026
If you're starting a company in 2026, watch this
Amber IlligFounding GP of The Council, an early-stage fund backing operator-founders
Amber Illig is a General Partner at The Council, where she backs early-stage founders and built Council Angels. In this episode we unpack what it really takes to become a founder in the age of AI.
Amber shares hard truths about why not everyone should start a company, why the first one to two years of founding are the most psychologically brutal, and how operators can move into founding without romanticizing the struggle.
We also talk about delegation versus perfectionism, using AI to move faster, leadership and direct feedback, and finding meaning beyond money and success.
Find AmberLinkedInInstagramThe Council
In this episode
- 00:00Why not everyone should be a startup founder
- 01:20Operator to founder: how Amber got started
- 02:45Angel investing & building Council Angels
- 05:00Who actually makes a good first-time founder
- 07:15When to quit a stable job to start a company
- 11:20Why the first two years are the hardest
- 16:30The founder comparison trap
- 18:00Delegation vs perfectionism in early startups
- 20:30Using AI to move faster
- 26:30Direct feedback, leadership, and culture
- 39:30AI, consciousness, and the future of humans
- 44:10Finding meaning beyond money and success
- 48:05Final lessons for founders and operators
