Founder mode is when you approach problems as if you are the startup founder. It means that you show an extreme level of care, ownership, and motivation to solve problems in a most efficient and effective way. Another important aspect of founder mode is that you always keep the business side of things in mind.
Last couple of months I started noticing people mentioning and talking about founder mode over and over, plus I have received a couple of questions from my new mentees on how to enter the “founder mode” and stay there. Fun part is that my old colleagues already know that this is another trendy word for the two existing pillars of commercial software engineering – focusing on outcomes and being a proper boy scout in the field you care about.
Let’s dive into the most important aspects of founder mode. Feel free to apply thing below both to when you are an actual owner and founder or when you work for somebody else.
Own and be accountable
Founders usually wear many hats and are responsible for all aspects of the business. When working in founder mode, you take ownership of outcomes, good or bad. You don’t wait for others to take action, you proactively solve problems and drive progress instead.
Focus on outcomes and business side
Founders care about how much money the business is going to make and is it going to survive. This does not mean that the engineering team deploys buggy unstable code. Caring about the business side of things means that there should be a healthy balance between technical excellence and delivering features on time. Nobody needs a perfect landing page for the New Year’s sale at the end of January (unless you start preparing way ahead, right?).
Know all building blocks
Founders do not micromanage, but they have general understanding how a company is working and what are the building blocks it consists of. Founders are in constant communication with various departments and parties involved. You need to be able to identify all steps and accountable parties that are required to reach the goal. Know and actively use existing communication streams (Conway’s law can be helpful) inside of a team or company.
Have a vision and push it
Founders have a vision and know when to push. The skill of inspiring and leading by example can be mastered in any role, having a vision on where the company is moving can help in various ways. Think big and be driven by a sense of purpose, do not be afraid to spark discussions and remind about bigger goals.
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Summary
Founder mode does not come for free. Usually it is harder, it requires higher commitment and effort. However, the return on investment from working in founder mode is truly astonishing – you reach results faster, you have more energy, and see more meaning in things that you do.
Remember to keep the work-life balance and good luck in expanding the frontiers of things you own and care about!