Startups are passionate, dynamic work environments. Things move fast and boundaries get blurred. One boundary that startup leaders must get straight is the one between themselves and their employees.
I’m learning in real time during my current startup journey. So this is a lesson from the trenches.
What distinguishes a founder
Founders and owners deliberately choose to embrace both delayed gratification and a high level of personal and professional risk
They typically take a salary, but the amount of a founder’s salary is often far less than the market rate for what they could earn as an employee with an established company
Founders are motivated by equity in the value they’re going to create in lieu of near-term compensation.
Along with these features, founders assume a commensurate degree of overall responsibility. They define and determine the company’s overall strategy and direction, ranging from what the company does (e.g., products or services?) and how it does it to timing, culture, and finance. They often focus relentlessly on growth. Sometimes to the extent that it’s prioritized over…
