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Are you a Founder CEO struggling to navigate the change following investors entering your business?

We work with growing businesses where founders have been successful at creating a great business, bring in investors or a more seasoned (non-founder) CEO, and then struggle to navigate the change.


In a recent HBR article entitled 'The Strengths and Weaknesses that Set Founders Apart' I was interested to read about the personality and motivational differences between Founder CEOs and Non-Founder CEOs


Data comparing 50 respondents in each group lead to them defining the differences between 'founder mode' and 'manager mode'


Founder superpowers are defined as:


  1. Creative, innovative thinkers who can articulate a compelling vision

  2. Create company culture, fostering accountability and followership

  3. Are customer obsessed

  4. Live and breathe the business, bringing drive and resilience

  5. Agility and learning to adapt


In contrast non-Founder CEOs demonstrated less adaptability amidst ambiguity.


Founders' emotional investment in their businesses is also their Achilles' heel especially when demands change as the business grows (from investors, board members and employees).


Founder weaknesses are described below:


  1. Find it hard to delegate, creating tension in the system

  2. Tend to underinvest in operational governance which inhibits their ability to scale

  3. Tend to delay making decisions on under performers or in upgrading talent (loyalty can be a liability)

  4. Communicate inconsistently, particularly in engaging with investors or board (non-Founder CEOs excel at this)

  5. Can be overly optimistic and underestimate risk (non-Founder CEOs can have a more balanced approach unbiased by previous risk-taking success)


Companies who embrace the Founders' unique traits and challenges, can create an environment where everyone, including investors, employees, board members and the founders themselves, can co-exist in environments where visionary thinking and operational excellence can complement one another

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