“I am the business” - why it works at $2m but kills you at $10m

In this article: Being the business can get you to $2m but starts working against you shortly after. Founder dependency isn’t a personal failing; it’s an essential part of a growing business. Left on its own, however, what can start as a competitive edge invariably turns into a structural condition that burns out the founder, undermines employees, and puts the business at risk. This article highlights three main areas where founder dependency can occur – bandwidth, capability and relationships – what that looks like, why it’s hard to see from the inside, and what the transition out of it requires.