How to Write a Eulogy for Your Founder - Eulogy Examples & Tips

Writing a eulogy for a founder is a weird mix of boardroom and backyard feelings. You are honoring a public person who also mattered deeply to individuals on the team. You might be CEO, HR lead, a long time friend, or an employee who was asked to speak. This guide gives a straightforward structure, sample scripts for different tones, and practical tips for working with PR, legal, and grieving teammates. We explain terms you might not know and include fill in the blank templates you can adapt.

Who this guide is for

This article is for anyone who has been asked to write or deliver a eulogy for a company founder. That could be a current CEO, an executive, a board member, a company chaplain, or a friend who represents staff at a memorial. You might be nervous about balancing honesty with respect or about how investors and customers will react. This guide covers short speeches for internal gatherings, more formal remarks for public memorials, and scripts for complicated legacies.

What a eulogy is and what it is not

A eulogy is a spoken tribute that reflects on the life and impact of the person who has died. For a founder the eulogy often includes stories about the company early days, the values the founder instilled, and how their leadership shaped people. A eulogy is not a press release or a legal statement though you will likely coordinate with PR and legal teams before a public event. It is not a full bio listing every title and award. It is a story with human details.

Common terms you might see

• Founder The person who started the company. They may also be called cofounder when there were multiple founders.
• CEO Chief Executive Officer. The top leader responsible for the company s overall direction.
• Board The group of people who help govern a company. They may be involved in public messaging after a death.
• PR Public relations. The team that handles external statements, media, and messaging.
• Obituary A written notice about the death that may be published in news outlets or on the company website.
• Memorial A gathering to remember the person. It can be private for staff or public for customers and partners.
• Legacy The lasting impact of the founder on the company and community.

Before you start writing

Do a quick checklist first. It will save awkward edits later.

• Confirm who you are speaking for Are you representing the family, the employees, the board, or the public? That will shape tone and content.
• Ask about approvals Check what needs to be run by the family, PR, or legal. Some facts like cause of death might be private or sensitive.
• Know the audience Is the crowd mostly employees, investors, customers, or community members? Internal gatherings can be more candid.
• Decide the tone Do you want to be formal, conversational, funny, or a mix? For founders people often expect truth with gratitude and some humility.
• Gather stories Talk to people who worked closely with the founder. Ask for one short memory each rather than long lists of achievements.

Choosing the right structure

A tight structure keeps a tribute useful and memorable. Use this simple shape for a eulogy that works for founders.

• Opening Say who you are and why you are speaking. Give one sentence that sets the tone.
• Snapshot of life and role Briefly sketch the founder s background and what they built. Keep facts short and human.
• Anecdotes Tell one or two short stories that show character. Focus on moments that people in the room will recognize.
• Impact and values Explain what the founder taught the company and what future actions will honor them.
• Closing Offer a final memory, a quote, or an invitation for a moment of silence or a company ritual such as planting a tree, a moment of writing, or a donation.

How to write the opening

Keep the opening simple. Say your name, your role, and your relationship with the founder. Then offer one clear sentence about the day.

Opening examples

• Hello. I am Maya, the current CEO, and I had the honor of partnering with Alex since our seed days. Today we are here to remember both the builder and the friend who taught us how to keep going when things got messy.
• Hi everyone. I am Luis from product. I joined the company in year two and Alex took my wild idea seriously. I am here because he believed in people before metrics.
• Good afternoon. I am Priya, on the board. I speak for the team today to say thank you and to share a few memories that make his work human.

Writing the founder s life sketch

The life sketch should be concise. For founders the temptation is to list funding rounds and awards. Those belong in a separate bio. Instead highlight roles and the human arc.

Life sketch templates

• [Founder s name] grew up in [place] and started the company after [small catalyst]. They believed in [core value] and used that belief to build a team that cared about [mission].
• [Founder s name] was not only a leader but also someone who did small things personally like [habit], which showed how they led by example.

Anecdotes that land for a company crowd

Stories for founders often center on the early projects, first hires, the day a product shipped, or a moment of moral clarity. Make them quick, sensory, and with a clear payoff.

Examples of short founder anecdotes

• When we were building version one the servers crashed the night before launch. She ordered pizza, sat through the night debugging with us, and at 4 a.m. she said let s ship this anyway. That moment taught us that shipping mattered more than perfection.
• He would always greet new hires by name and ask about their first week. It was not just a friendly habit. It reminded us that culture was attendance work not a memo.
• At a big board meeting he stood up and chose to apologize publicly for a product mistake. That moment made honesty our competitive advantage.

Balancing achievements and humanity

People want both the facts and the feeling. You can mention a few concrete achievements without turning the speech into a Bloomberg profile. Pick achievements that link to the founder s character.

Good phrasing ideas

• Instead of saying they raised X million say they used the funds to keep the lights on and hire the first five people who later became mentors to others.
• Instead of listing awards say the founder would quietly point to the engineers whose names were never on stage and say this is what we built together.

Addressing complicated legacies

Sometimes founders are complicated. Maybe there were decisions that hurt people even if the company succeeded. You can acknowledge complexity in a way that respects grief and accountability. Be honest without doing a courtroom cross examination. Name what you can improve and say how the company will follow through.

Examples for a complicated legacy

• [Name] could be single minded and that sometimes caused real harm. We are sorry for moments when people felt unheard. We are committed to making changes that honor the team as much as the product.
• He had a fierce drive that made the company fast. That speed was a gift and a cost. We will keep his commitment to progress and also learn to slow down when people need it.

How to include customers, investors, and partners

If the eulogy will be public include a short nod to customers and partners. Use one sentence to thank them for their support and to ask for privacy for the family if that is desired. Coordinate this with PR so messaging is consistent.

Public line example

We are grateful to every customer and partner who believed in our mission. At the family s request we ask for a little privacy while they grieve and we will share details about memorials as they are confirmed.

Full eulogy examples you can adapt

Example 1: Internal all hands, empathetic and short

Hi everyone. I am Jorge, Chief Operations Officer, and I worked alongside Maya since our first makeshift office in a coffee shop. Maya taught us to treat feedback like oxygen. If something was not working we fixed it and we said thank you for the hard truth.

One memory that captures her was not a product win. It was a Tuesday when a junior engineer accidentally deleted a dataset. Maya spent eight hours on the phone with the team, calmed everyone down, and then wrote a note to the company saying mistakes help us learn when they are handled with compassion. That note is pinned in the hallway and it is how we still behave.

She built this company from a whiteboard and a lot of stubborn hope. She wanted us to win not for awards but so the product could reach people who needed it. In her honor we will create a new paid mentorship program to ensure the next generation of makers has the same chance she gave us. Please join me in a moment of silence and then in sharing one memory if you want to speak.

Example 2: Public memorial, formal and measured

Good afternoon. My name is Aisha and I serve on the board. We are here because Thomas built more than a company. He built a community that pushed for cleaner energy in daily life. His leadership was a mixture of curiosity and relentless follow through.

Thomas was not defined by any single award or headline. He was defined by small habits like his weekend calls to check on pilot projects and his habit of bringing a homemade snack to share at every meeting. Those moments spoke to his belief that work was a human conversation, not a series of transactions.

Out of respect for the family and the company we will share details about public memorials shortly. For now I invite everyone to pause and to reflect on how we can carry forward the values he lived. Thank you.

Example 3: Celebration of life, personal and a little funny

Hello. I am Devon, who was lucky to share many early founders nights with Sam. Sam had two rules. Rule one was that caffeine counts as breakfast. Rule two was that if you could not explain an idea in a sentence it was not ready for the whiteboard.

One of my favorite memories is when Sam tried to prove a point by building a robot barista. It failed spectacularly and drenched the kitchen in hot coffee. Sam laughed the loudest and then ordered real coffee for the whole team. That was Sam. He would rather learn in public and make sure everyone left with a drink.

We will miss his messy notebooks and his belief that the best ideas come from terrible first drafts. Today we bring cakes and stories and we will keep the robot attempt alive as a company holiday. Please share a story if you want. Laugh and cry. He would tell you both were acceptable outcomes.

Fill in the blank templates

Copy and adapt these templates. Replace bracketed text and trim to fit time.

Template A: Short internal tribute

Hi, I am [Your Name], [Your Role]. I joined [Company] in [year] and met [Founder Name] in [place or story]. [Founder Name] taught us [value]. One memory that shows that is [brief story]. In their honor we will [company action]. Thank you for being here.

Template B: Formal public remarks

Good [morning afternoon]. I am [Your Name] from [role]. [Founder Name] founded [Company] because [short origin]. They led with [value] and changed [industry community outcome]. Out of respect for the family we will announce memorial details soon. On behalf of the board I offer our deepest condolences.

Template C: Personal celebration of life

Hello. I am [Your Name]. To know [Founder Name] was to know [quirky habit]. My favorite memory is [short story]. They made our work feel like a place to belong and to try hard. Today we celebrate that spirit. Thank you.

Delivery tips for company memorials

• Keep it under time Shorter is often better. For internal gatherings aim for three to seven minutes. For public memorials aim for five to ten minutes depending on the program.
• Coordinate with PR and family Confirm facts and any sensitive language before speaking publicly.
• Bring printed notes Use large font and cue cards for emotional beats. Index cards often work better than a long printed page.
• Practice out loud Read to a trusted colleague or friend. Practice helps with pacing and emotion control.
• Mark where you will pause Pause after a joke or a heavy line. Let grief and laughter have space.
• Have a backup plan If you feel you cannot finish ask a colleague to step in. Brief the person beforehand on how you want the close to sound.

Rituals and company actions that honor a founder

Words are important but so are actions. Consider company rituals that make the legacy tangible.

• Create a memorial fund or donation page aligned with the founder s causes.
• Establish a fellowship, grant, or paid mentorship named for the founder.
• Hold a company day of service in the founder s memory.
• Plant a tree or dedicate a physical space such as a bench or a reading room.
• Create an annual award in their name for values like curiosity or kindness.

Glossary of useful terms and acronyms

• Founder The person who started the company or organization.
• Cofounder When more than one person started the company together.
• CEO Chief Executive Officer. The person responsible for the company s overall management.
• Board Group that provides governance and oversight for the company.
• PR Public relations. The team that manages external communication and media relations.
• Obituary A written notice of death, often published on company pages or in media.
• Memorial A gathering to honor and remember the person who has died.
• Legacy The lasting influence and values the founder leaves behind.

Frequently asked questions

Who should speak at a founder s memorial

Often a mix of people speak. That might include a family member, a close colleague or cofounder, a board member, and a current leader. Keep remarks short and coordinated so the program flows.

How long should remarks be for an internal all hands

Three to seven minutes per speaker is a good range. If many people will speak keep each person to two to three minutes or have a moderated sharing session after a short set of prepared remarks.

What if the founder s legacy is controversial

Acknowledge complexity without performing a full investigation in the eulogy. Say what is true, express empathy for harm caused, and note any concrete steps the company will take. Transparency and action matter more than long explanations at a memorial.

Should we involve the family in planning a company memorial

Yes. Family preferences should guide public details and the tone. Offer options and let the family decide what they want public and what they want private.

Can humor be used in a founder s eulogy

Yes, when it is gentle and earned. Founders are often remembered for particular quirks or inside jokes. Use humor that the family and the audience will appreciate and follow it with a sincere line to reconnect the tone.

How do we handle media inquiries

Direct all media requests to the PR team and coordinate messaging with the family and the board. Prepare a short official statement for the press and keep personal remarks separate from public statements.