You're not the problem BUT... (your CEO identity might be)

Why your leadership challenges often start with who you think you are.

Hey Reader ,

I want to tell you something I’ve seen over and over again in my work with startup founders, scale-up execs, and enterprise CEOs:

You’re not the problem.
But your identity as a CEO might be.

Let me explain.

Who You Think You Are Is Running the Show

Most leaders think they’re stuck because of a strategy issue, a team problem, or a funding gap. But what’s often really in the way?

It’s who you believe yourself to be.

Your identity as a CEO is built on three layers:

Capabilities: what you can do (code, pitch, build, close deals).
Beliefs: what you think works (“Hustle hard = results”, “If I don’t do it, it won’t get done”).
Values: what you prioritize (speed, control, perfection, freedom, family).

These aren’t just ideas. They are the lens you lead through and over time, they harden.

They become the source of your decisions, reactions, even your stress.

How You Know Your Identity Needs to Evolve

If you’re snapping at your team, obsessing over control, or feeling constantly overwhelmed then that’s not a management flaw.

That’s your identity under threat.

It’s what I call amygdala hijack.

It's when your leadership instincts clash with the current reality of your company. You’re still operating with the mindset of a founder when the business needs a CEO.

How Do You Shift?

Here’s the truth: The founder identity that got you here is not the CEO identity that will get you there.

Making this shift doesn’t mean losing yourself. It means evolving.

❌ From “I need to be the smartest person in the room”
✅ To “I need to create a room where smart things happen even without me.”

❌ From “Hustle harder”
✅ To “Build a system where hustle isn’t required.”

I’ve worked with leaders who’ve scaled billion-dollar companies. You know what they all had in common?

They were willing to outgrow themselves.

Because if you want to scale your business…

If you want to lead with more ease, more clarity, and more impact…

You’ve got to upgrade the internal operating system.

Ask yourself this today:

“What belief or identity trait served me well in the past but might be holding me back now?”

This is the real work, but it’s worth it.

Talk soon,