Being a founder/CEO - Mainly hustling, not requiring creativity?

[freetobefreedom]

The title summarises my point of discussion, curious for your viewpoints.

Currently in process of starting an e-commerce startup, seed stage.

 

[brandon29501]

@freetobefreedom It’s relative. If you think that an established or late stage startup lacks creativity, compare it to a tech giant. If you think early stage startups have more creativity, you’re probably right.

It’s nice if you find your job fulfilling and self-actualizing but that’s not the goal of startups.

Hustle? Well, maybe. Lots of hustle is wasted: the difference between activity and progress. That always amazed me: startups who do insane hours yet do the wrong thing. They race quickly in the wrong direction, piling junk upon junk.

 

[ivangraham]

@freetobefreedom Your doing the job of the COO with the CEO’s title.

 

[freetobefreedom]

@ivangraham Interesting. How would a real CEO be different?

 

[ivangraham]

@freetobefreedom I could spend hours going through this. And let me first say it’s not uncommon for a CEO to fall into the trap your in, or for a COO / Owner to call themselves a CEO for prestige.

But a real CEO works on the business not in the business. Yes sometimes they get involved, but it’s to learn processes to hire and replace them. If i let our doing anything repetitively other than meeting your direct reports and board meetings, then it’s likely that work is a role that would be better defined as something else.

If you not working on moving the needle 3+ months out and meeting customers to understand their needs, it’s likely your being sucked into the day to day and that’s not the role you were hired to do.

 

[freetobefreedom]

@ivangraham Very interesting take. Can you recommend any resources on this topic?

Or any additional anectodes? Cause you say you have seen it as not uncommon for a CEO to fall into this trap.

 

[ivangraham]

@freetobefreedom Do you wanna Dm or hop on a quick zoom (I can do max 10 mins). I can’t re write a masters here and it’s better tailor made.

 

[freetobefreedom]

@ivangraham Pm'd you!

 

[wanjiku]

@freetobefreedom You are in the wrong role

 

[freetobefreedom]

@wanjiku Which roles are better?

 

[wanjiku]

@freetobefreedom Tech lead probably

 

[freetobefreedom]

@wanjiku Hm Sounds like it's more the higher in the org the more strategic the tasks become?

 

[wanjiku]

@freetobefreedom Yes . Spot on.