Everyone talks about starting companies — yet no one ever tells us how to shut them down.

That's because by the time startups go into this dark, hazy abyss called "shut down" mode, things get really quiet. We stop hearing from Founders, investors start talking about other "hot new investments," and the media has moved on long ago.

That doesn't change the fact that most startups fail, and with that, Founders need to have a grounded understanding in how to wind down their startups gracefully.

This is very difficult advice for a frustrated Founder to seek because it's often embarrassing to even ask, or in some cases, the people they need to seek counsel with are actually connected to the business.

So for all of my fellow Founders who are wre...