Most CEOs are CEOs because they started the businesses they run - not because they are abnormally smart or qualified.
Often they’re the least qualified people in the company, since they’re the only ones who didn’t go through an interview process.
Most CEOs are CEOs because they started the businesses they run - not because they are abnormally smart or qualified. Often they’re the least qualified people in the company, since they’re the only ones who didn’t go through an interview process.
1. Most founders are bad at growth, so if you're amazing at it, the advantage is significant.
Consider: Most startups die not because founders are bad or products suck, but because they couldn't figure out how to get anyone to try them.
Some employees make products, some make sales; the CEO makes decisions.
Ben Horowitz • The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers
First, technical founders are the best people to run technology companies.
Ben Horowitz • The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers
I’ve always believed the best early-stage founders are artists – they're obsessive about new and unusual things, they feel compelled to bring creation into the world, and they are often misunderstood for long periods of time–even lifetimes. Building businesses is their art.