Just to play Devil's advocate, let's see how this can be viewed positively instead of focusing on the negative. 1) It might be the case that it's easier to get

Just to play Devil's advocate, let's see how this can be viewed positively instead of focusing on the negative. 1) It might be the case that it's easier to get an interesting speaking placement that can benefit him and your company greatly if it's not viewed as corporate advertising. This might be easier if it's not directly intermingled with your company's finances and brand. 2) It seems like your co-founder is mentioning your business positively in his speeches, which shows he's still working at it. It would be bad if he wasn't trying to promote your company in his speeches in some way. 3) His financial situation might have changed. Who knows? Maybe something unplanned happened like a leaky roof happened or a family member's illness occurred. He might be trying to get a little extra income to stay afloat longer and increase his personal runway without it impacting the company. 4) Once you have a few speeches under your belt, the time commitment involved in preparing a few similar speeches is pretty minimal and unlikely to significantly impact his work. As long as he's still putting in the effort at work, this seems kind of dumb. 5) Your role in the company puts your focus on the nickels and dimes. Is it possible that you're fixating on trying to squeeze out every single penny due to your role rather than focusing on the positive bigger picture?