Steve Connor’s Post

Founder Mode Hack: Use Fractional Execs! As a founder, staying deeply connected to the core functions of your business is critical. Paul Graham’s concept of “Founder Mode” highlights the unique state of focus and immersion that allows founders to drive their companies forward with unparalleled energy and insight. But as your business scales, how do you maintain this laser focus without getting bogged down by the operational complexities of growth? Enter fractional leaders. Fractional executives—CROs, CMOs, CTOs—are seasoned professionals who provide expert leadership on a part-time basis, without the long-term commitment or equity stake that full-time hires often require. Here’s why they are a smart tool for founders looking to grow faster while staying close to their business: 1. Preserve Your ‘Founder Mode’: Fractional leaders handle critical projects or functions, allowing you to remain in the strategic ‘Founder Mode’ that Paul Graham talks about. They take on the heavy lifting in areas that may not be your strength, freeing you to focus on what you do best—vision, product, and customer experience. 2. Cost-Effective Expertise: Unlike full-time executives who require significant compensation packages and equity, fractionals work on a project basis, often costing a fraction of a permanent hire. Their goal is to execute, deliver results, and then step back, all without diluting your ownership. 3. Agility in Execution: Fractional leaders are not there to entrench themselves in your company. Their purpose is to quickly assess, act, and hand off to your internal team. Their work is documented in a clear SOW (Statement of Work), with measurable outcomes that allow you to see the impact compared to the prior state. 4. No Strings Attached: Because fractionals aren’t seeking equity or long-term roles, they bring an unbiased, results-driven mindset to your business. They are focused on getting the job done efficiently and effectively, with a clear exit strategy in place from day one. In short, fractional leaders enable founders to stay in the driver’s seat of their business, ensuring that growth doesn’t come at the expense of strategic focus. They offer the expertise and execution power needed to scale, without the distractions or long-term commitments that can pull you out of ‘Founder Mode.’ That's what we do at AspireSix. We live in Founder Mode! #FractionalLeadership #FounderMode #Startups #GrowthHacking #Leadership

Top Impacts MyFractionalCEO can bring to a start up! Why hiring a Fractional CEO can just make perfect sense! An experienced fractional CEO can make a significant impact on a startup in several key ways: 1. Expertise and Knowledge:Maryellen Gleason - **Strategic Planning:** They bring valuable strategic planning skills and industry insights. - **Operational Efficiency:** Their experience helps streamline processes and improve operational efficiency. 2. Cost-Effective: - **Budget-Friendly:** Hiring a fractional CEO is more cost-effective than a full-time executive. - **Resource Allocation:** Frees up funds for other critical areas like marketing or development. 3. Network and Connections:Shane Dempsey - **Industry Contacts:** They have established networks that can open doors for partnerships, funding, and customer acquisition. - **Advisory Access:** Their connections to advisors and mentors can provide additional guidance. 4. Focus and Prioritization:Nuno Godinho - **Goal Setting:** Helps in setting clear, achievable goals. - **Priority Management:** Assists in prioritizing tasks and projects based on startup needs. 5. Leadership and Culture:Amelia Warren Tyagi - **Team Guidance:** Provides leadership and mentoring to the executive team. - **Company Culture:** Helps in shaping a positive, productive company culture. 6. Fundraising: - **Investor Relations:** Expertise in dealing with investors and raising funds. - **Pitch Improvement:** Can refine pitch decks and presentations for better results. 7. Growth and Scalability:Jane Gilson - **Growth Strategies:** Implement strategies for scalable growth. - **Market Expansion:** Identifies opportunities for market expansion and diversification. 8. Crisis Management:Peter Einstein - **Problem Solving:** Experience in handling crises and turning around difficult situations. - **Decision Making:** Makes informed and timely decisions to navigate challenges. 9. Interim Solution: - **Temporary Leadership:** Acts as an interim solution while searching for a permanent CEO. - **Smooth Transition:** Ensures smooth transition and continuity in leadership. 10. Credibility:Shefaly Yogendra Ph.D - **Reputation:** Brings credibility to the startup, which can be appealing to investors and partners. - **Track Record:** A successful track record can instill confidence in stakeholders. Overall, a fractional CEO's blend of experience, strategic thinking, and leadership can be a game-changer for startups aiming to achieve sustainable growth and long-term success. If you think you need a FractionalCEO or would like to join a community of Global FractionalCEO’s you should join MyFractionalCEO use the link YPO REF ACKERMANN INTERNATIONAL (Executive Search, Selection Solutions & HR Consulting Services) Harvard University Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Vistage Worldwide, Inc. Entrepreneurs' Organization Connectd www.myfractionalceo.com

The founder CEO is, no question, the driving force behind a start-up—but scaling start-ups also need a team of high-performing senior leaders to achieve their growth goals (see sidebar A word about CEO succession in start-ups)

Recently, I advised the CEO of an organization that supports tech startups across multiple industries--who is navigating a major restructuring. The company is contemplating adding a new leadership role, but with someone already managing many of those responsibilities, my advice was clear: avoid creating unnecessary roles and empower your current team to take full ownership, with the right-size compensation package that reflects their expanded roles. My approach not only boosts morale but also ensures efficiency and avoids unnecessary costs. It streamlines operations and brings significant cost savings, from salary, benefits, recruitment and onboarding costs, training, equipment, and workspace expenses. Here are three key takeaways from that conversation, which apply not only to restructuring but also to organizations undergoing any growth phase: 1. Clarify Responsibilities: Clearly define each role and align with strategic plan to ensure efficiency and prevent overlap that leads to confusion. 2. Reduce Duplication: Eliminate unnecessary roles to avoid redundancy and keep overhead costs as low as possible. 3. Leverage Strategic Support: Partner with an advisor to support operational strategy, process optimization, and organizational design to enhance the overall strength of your leadership team. It’s about creating the right frameworks and systems that enable your team to lead with confidence and clarity. By focusing on efficiency and long-term success, an Ops Advisor ensures smooth transitions and empowers your internal leaders to execute and drive progress without being encumbered by operational complexities. This kind of strategic support accelerates growth and ensures your organization is prepared for its next phase—whether restructuring, scaling, or optimizing. #Leadership #Consulting #Advising #BusinessStrategy #Startups #Innovation #Peopleoperations #OperationalExcellence #StrategicLeadership #Growth #Bottomline

The Perfect Partnership: When Founders and CEOs Align for Success. In the dynamic world of startups, the relationship between founders and CEOs can make or break a company. While founders are visionaries, full of big ideas, the role of a CEO requires a different set of skills. No be every founder go fit be CEO, and no be every CEO must don the founder cap. Understanding this difference fit help create better leadership and sustainable growth. Not every founder is suited to be a CEO, and not every CEO needs to be a founder. Plenty founders get plenty vision and innovation, but dem dey struggle with management wahala. Dem dey carry big ideas and creativity, but operational tasks fit confuse dem. Effective management need correct skills like delegation, process optimization, and strong team leadership. These skills dey essential for guiding a company through daily operations and creating a productive work environment. Sometimes, bringing in a seasoned CEO go make sense. E go allow founders focus on their strengths, like strategic planning and product development, while the CEO dey handle the day-to-day operations. This kind arrangement fit create a balanced leadership vibe, promoting growth and efficiency. The right fit depend on where the company dey and wetin e need. Recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of both founders and CEOs na the key to pushing the organization forward. Make we sabi wetin we dey do!

Every start-up must launch with four critical building blocks of organizational success: talent, leadership, purpose, and culture. But those foundational blocks will need to be shifted or slightly realigned as the organization grows and its strategy, operations, and talent decisions become more complex. As they pursue opportunities in new markets or geographies, founder CEOs and their teams will need to regularly and systematically reconsider their approaches to hiring and retaining talent, developing next-generation leaders, reinforcing the company’s purpose, and shaping the organization’s culture. What’s more, they will need to ensure they are communicating frequently and consistently at all levels of the organization, and, if they aren’t already, they will need to use more data to make better and quicker decisions as the company grows. By adapting their structures, behaviors, and processes accordingly, founder CEOs can overcome any scaling challenges, preserve their organizations’ entrepreneurial edge, and keep their people—the heart of any successful start-up—engaged and aligned for long-term success.

Founder Mode: Fuel for Innovation or a Path to Leadership Pitfalls? You might have heard of Paul Graham’s "founder mode," which revolves around: Founder Mode Attributes: 1-Characteristics: Direct engagement, flexible structure, and intuitive decision-making. 2-Benefits: Fosters innovation, speeds up decision-making, and preserves company culture. 3-Challenges: Scalability, cultural shifts, resistance, and potential burnout. This leadership style offers numerous benefits, especially for early-stage startups. However, it also comes with an inherent risk: the dependency on the founder’s intent. Founder mode places considerable emphasis on the founder’s intuition and their relationship with the team. When this dynamic falters, it can open the door to ineffective leadership. Founder mode is like adding nitrous oxide to a car—it accelerates innovation and drives emotional momentum, but without control, it risks burning out the engine. In today’s highly competitive landscape, businesses need more than just the 4Ps of marketing or a well-defined ICP. They require a balanced approach to leadership that fosters creativity without sacrificing structure. I appreciate the benefits of founder mode, but its success is highly dependent on the founder’s capability and intention. When done right, it can fuel rapid growth. But without clear boundaries and thoughtful implementation, it can easily devolve into disorganized leadership that relies too much on the founder’s personal energy. In conclusion, while founder mode can ignite innovation, speed, and cultural cohesion, it also carries significant risks if not carefully managed. Its success relies on the founder’s ability to balance hands-on leadership with sustainable, scalable processes.

The difference between scaling a business that will last and one that could die out often comes down to people management. If startups can ensure that they retain top talent, company values, and a healthy culture as they expand in size and capabilities, they can maintain patterns of #SustainableGrowth. A solid workforce will translate into a competitive advantage. #Retention #Leadership

Have you considered tapping into top-tier executive talent—without the full-time commitment? The rise of #fractional leadership is changing the game for startups and small businesses. This model allows companies to access seasoned CSOs, CFOs, CIOs, CMOs, and COOs on a flexible basis—providing strategic insights, leadership, and direction without the traditional overhead. Work Heartily, LLC helps connect your business to the right talent. Key Takeaways from the Article: Cost-Effectiveness: Hire fractional leaders who bring high-level expertise, but only pay for what you need. Scalable Talent: Quickly ramp up or scale back as your company evolves. Immediate Impact: Startups benefit from well-honed operational strategies and networks. This approach isn’t just a trend; it’s a smart, strategic shift that’s paving the way for lean, agile growth. Check out this Forbes piece to see how fractional leadership can help you stay focused on your core mission and achieve sustainable success in 2025. https://lnkd.in/eZY7ws_z

Being a leader is hard. Being a leader who needs to hire leaders is even harder. I’ll be discussing everything related to leadership hiring tomorrow in my masterclass. Only five seats are remaining. Register from the link in the comments. How and when should you hire your first leader in a startup? This looks tricky and risky because it comes with a cost and a whole lot of preparation. But it’s not. It’s the right thing to do and that too at the right time. Running a growing startup has a lot to do with the timing. So, the right time to hire your first leaders is 1. When the founder is ready to trust and delegate.  2. When your company goals are clear and defined. 3. When the startup is ready to utilize the leader's skills and capabilities. 4. When the startup is ready to take the risk if things go wrong. 5. When your organizational structure is ready to follow a hierarchy. And above all, when you have funds to support the indirect cost associated with onboarding a leader. When leaders come in, they come in with a whole plan to support the company's growth. But they are also humans. They need time to understand the company, its processes, policies, and people. So, founders need to have that patience, and startups need to have that funding plan so that it can provide all the time and resources for a leader to do his job. A leader needs founders’ support and trust so that he can take the show ahead. So, first founders need to prepare themselves to accept the change. The success of your startup isn't just about what you build; it's about who builds it with you. Just elevate your leadership game, and you'll be halfway to the success of your startup. #hiringmasterclass #Supersourcing #StrategicHiring #Leadershiphiring