Your Role as Founder Will Change—Lean Into It

Remember when you were a kid, and you built a fort in your backyard? At first, it was all about finding the best leftover wood from the neighborhood, configuring them just right, and making sure your little empire didn’t collapse on you (and your head). But once the fort was standing? The game changed. Suddenly, you weren’t the builder anymore—you were the king, the explorer, the strategist figuring out how to defend or even expand your turf.

That’s exactly what happens in a startup.

When you first start a business, you’re the chief builder, architect, and supply manager. You’re duct-taping things together, handling sales, answering customer emails, probably even taking out the trash. You’re in the trenches, making sure this thing doesn’t collapse before it even gets going. And it’s exciting! Every day feels like a fight for survival, and you’re scrappy enough to love it.

But here’s the thing—if your business is even moderately successful, your role has to change.

At some point, you stop being the one hammering the wood together, and you have to step back to lead. You bring in other people to help, and suddenly, you’re not just building—you’re managing, hiring, planning five moves ahead. And that can feel weird. Maybe even… boring?

Yeah, I said it. Entrepreneurs don’t like to admit it, but sometimes, running a business starts to feel like a job. And if you’re used to the thrill of the early days, that transition can feel wrong. Like maybe you’re not cut out for this anymore. But that’s not true—you’re just at a new stage of the game. I have been through this myself many many times. It took me years to understand that I am a Zero to One guy.

So what about you? My advice is not to run away from this thought but to lean into it.

Instead of resisting the shift, identify and embrace a new role. Your fort doesn’t need another set of hands stacking sticks—it needs a leader who can turn it into a full-fledged kingdom. That might mean becoming the visionary, finding new markets, or even stepping aside and letting someone else run the day-to-day while you lean into a different role.

Look, not every founder wants to be or should be a forever CEO. And that’s okay. If you’re feeling restless, it’s not a sign to burn it all down—it’s a sign to evolve.