Do you want to be right, or do you want to build a great company?

One of the hardest transitions for any founder-turned-CEO is embracing true accountability. It’s not about controlling every decision, micromanaging the team, or proving that your vision is always the right one. In fact, the greatest obstacle to your company’s growth might be you.

The Founder's Dilemma

In the early days of a startup, absolute conviction is an asset. You need unwavering belief in your vision because, let’s be honest, no one else will have it at the same intensity. Investors question you. Potential hires hesitate. Customers don’t see it yet. If you don’t back yourself 100%, the business won’t get off the ground.

But here’s the tough pill to swallow: what made you a great founder won’t necessarily make you a great CEO. At some point, conviction needs to make room for questioning. Are you still on the right path? Are you making the best decisions? Are you the best person to solve every problem?

This shift is difficult because, as a founder, your identity is often wrapped up in your company. You don’t just run the business. You are the business. Letting go of control, admitting that someone else might know more in a particular area, or even recognizing when you’re holding the company back can feel like a personal failure. But in reality, it’s the key to long-term success.

Real Leadership is Letting Go

When I work with founders making this transition, I often ask: Do you want to be right, or do you want to build a great company? Because those two things don’t always align. The best CEOs I know are relentless about one thing.

Learning.

They surround themselves with people smarter than them, they seek out feedback, and they build a culture where questioning assumptions is encouraged, not punished.

A simple mindset shift can change everything: Instead of proving you’re right, start testing your beliefs. What if the product roadmap isn’t the best direction? What if your team isn’t aligned? What if the marketing strategy isn’t working as well as you think? The ability to step back, reassess, and adapt is what separates the great CEOs from the ones who struggle.

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Your Identity is Not Your Company

Many founders resist this shift because it feels like losing control. But true leadership isn’t about controlling everything, it’s about empowering the right people, making decisions based on reality (not ego), and keeping your company’s mission ahead of your personal attachment to being right.

So here’s my challenge to you:

What’s one assumption you’re clinging to that might not be serving your company?

Take a step back and ask yourself, what would happen if I was wrong?

Tough questions lead to growth.

And growth.. real, scalable, sustainable growth, only happens when you’re willing to let go.

Talk soon,