Founder's paradox

Uncensored advice from our CEO for entrepreneurs and business leaders who want to build high-growth companies that last.

Collection57 articles
The Founder’s Paradox: How Do You Throw Credit When the Big Idea Was Yours?
February 26, 2019
The Founder’s Paradox: How Do You Throw Credit When the Big Idea Was Yours?

Few actions spark real disgust at work. But I can think of one that never fails to cause a personal fury. It is when someone takes another person’s idea and presents it…

The Founder’s Paradox: How to Prioritize What Others Need When Everyone Is Focused on You
January 14, 2019
The Founder’s Paradox: How to Prioritize What Others Need When Everyone Is Focused on You

Gravity is what holds our world together. It is the force that draws objects together — literally bringing us down to Earth. But the word gravity can also be used to…

The Founder’s Paradox: How to Add Complexity and Avoid It
November 6, 2018
The Founder’s Paradox: How to Add Complexity and Avoid It

More customers, more people, more process, more technology — leading to more success. And success leads to financial gains which can be reinvested to grow more customers,…

The Founder’s Paradox: How Do You Respond Instantly When You Are Super Busy?
October 16, 2018
The Founder’s Paradox: How Do You Respond Instantly When You Are Super Busy?

You are so busy that you are tired. Really tired. Seven-days-a-week, 12-hours-a-day tired. And you still have more to do, more than seems possible for just one person.…

The Founder’s Paradox: How to Create Space for New Ideas in a Company That Is Already Wildly Successful
September 18, 2018
The Founder’s Paradox: How to Create Space for New Ideas in a Company That Is Already Wildly Successful

What does it mean to “create space”? It is interesting because the word “space” is both vague and specific. It can be a blank area or a boundless expanse or even the…

The Founder’s Paradox: How to Say No When Big Customers Say Yes
September 6, 2018
The Founder’s Paradox: How to Say No When Big Customers Say Yes

It is harder to say “no” than it is to say “yes.” This is not just my opinion. There is significant research devoted to this concept. Acquiescence bias, social…

The Founder’s Paradox: How to Reject Work/Life Balance and Still Have a Happy Team
August 13, 2018
The Founder’s Paradox: How to Reject Work/Life Balance and Still Have a Happy Team

I reject work/life balance. I always have. But some people find this hard to understand at first, which is why I share my perspective on the topic fairly often. So, it…

The Founder’s Paradox: How to Succeed When Most Founders Fail
July 25, 2018
The Founder’s Paradox: How to Succeed When Most Founders Fail

Every summer I go on a backpacking trip to the Sierras in California. This year it was to the Emigrant Wilderness, just north of Yosemite. Jagged granite peaks, ice-blue…

The Founder’s Paradox: How to Be an Entrepreneur When No One Is Born an Innovator
July 10, 2018
The Founder’s Paradox: How to Be an Entrepreneur When No One Is Born an Innovator

What do you whisper to yourself when you think no one is listening? <p>“I am not a words person.”<br /> “I am terrified of speaking in public — because I am terribly…

The Founder’s Paradox: How to Promote for Achievement and Not Tenure
June 13, 2018
The Founder’s Paradox: How to Promote for Achievement and Not Tenure

The word “promote” is interesting in a subtle way. It can mean different things depending on the context. Advancing in rank or placement. Contributing to growth or…

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