Beyond Founder Mode: How Companies Can Preserve Founders’ Vision After They’re Gone
How Startups can could be Navigating the Challenges of Scaling While Preserving the Founder’s Vision for the Future
At a YC event last week, Brian Chesky delivered a talk that left a lasting impression on everyone present (I wish I was there but wasn’t, this is what Paul Graham said). His message was clear: the conventional wisdom about how to scale a company is fundamentally flawed. Chesky described how well-meaning advice to “hire good people and give them room to operate” nearly derailed Airbnb. Instead, he found success by staying deeply involved in the company’s core functions—a new concept referred to as “Founder Mode.” This resonated with me deeply because it mirrors the journey we’ve experienced at Soon.
As one of the founders of Soon, I’ve always been driven by a singular question: how do you build a company that not only succeeds but thrives long after you’ve stepped away? This is a question that becomes more pressing as your company grows. It’s one thing to guide a small team with hands-on leadership; it’s another to scale that vision across a much larger organization. And, eventually, every founder must confront the reality that their company might—and ideally, will—outlive them.
This brings us to the concept of Founder Mode. Many founders, myself included, thrive by staying deeply involved in the core aspects of our businesses. Take Jensen Huang of NVIDIA, who still has 60 direct reports despite leading a massive organization. He’s not just delegating responsibilities; he’s ensuring that his vision and values permeate every level of the company. This hands-on leadership style, which I also practice at Soon, keeps the company innovative, agile, and true to its founding principles.
From Founder Mode to Lasting Legacy
But what happens when the founder is no longer there? Whether through retirement or the inevitable passage of time, the company must find a way to preserve that vision. This isn’t just a theoretical concern; it’s a critical issue for any business that aims to last. Jim Collins and Jerry Porras explore this in Built to Last, where they identify how visionary companies embed their founders’ ideologies so deeply that these principles guide the company long after the original leaders are gone.
At Soon, we’ve been intentional about building a culture that reflects our core values—transparency, innovation, and customer obsession. These aren’t just buzzwords; they’re the principles that guide every decision we make. As we’ve grown, I’ve made it a priority to ensure these values are not just understood but lived by every team member. This is how we keep the essence of Founder Mode alive, even as we scale.
Realizing Our Capabilities: A Journey of Growth
Over the past few years, we’ve learned something surprising about ourselves: we were more capable than we initially thought. Like many startups, we often believed that we needed to hire external expertise to tackle new challenges. But time and again, we found that we could achieve far more internally than we ever expected. This realization has been empowering. It turns out that all you really need is the willpower and the willingness to invest time in learning and doing something new—something that might seem daunting at first, but that, as a founder, you’re uniquely equipped to handle.
This is a powerful lesson for any founder: don’t sell yourself short. The very essence of being a founder is that you’ve already done something incredibly difficult by starting and growing a company. That same grit and determination can take you much further than you might initially believe, especially when faced with new challenges.
Institutionalizing the Vision
So, how do you institutionalize a founder’s vision? At Soon, we’ve focused on a few key strategies:
1. Codifying Core Values: We’ve embedded our core values into everything we do, from our hiring processes to our performance evaluations. These values are our compass, ensuring that we stay on course even as we grow.
2. Leadership Alignment: Our leadership team is deeply aligned with these values. They aren’t just executing a strategy; they’re stewards of our culture. This alignment is crucial for maintaining continuity as the company evolves.
3. Storytelling and Tradition: We regularly share the stories of our founding and the challenges we’ve overcome. These stories serve as a reminder of where we’ve come from and why we do what we do. They’re a powerful tool for keeping the founder’s spirit alive within the company.
Preparing for the Future: A Work in Progress
While we’ve made significant strides in embedding our vision and values into Soon, I have to admit that we still have a lot of work to do when it comes to succession planning. We’re not yet in a position where I can confidently say that the company is ready to be continued by anyone except us as founders. This is a reality we’re actively addressing, and it’s a reminder that building a company that lasts is an ongoing process, not a one-time effort.
Luckily, it looks like we still have some time ahead of us. This gives us the opportunity to continue refining our approach, ensuring that when the time comes, Soon will be in the best possible position to thrive without our day-to-day involvement. It’s a challenge we’re committed to tackling, knowing that the future success of Soon depends on it.
Can Large Corporations Operate in Founder Mode Without the Founder?
The answer is yes, but it requires intentional effort. Companies like Apple, Disney, and now Soon, have shown that it’s possible to maintain a strong sense of purpose and direction even after the founder steps away. The key is embedding the founder’s vision so deeply into the company’s culture that it becomes inseparable from its identity.
This doesn’t mean the new leaders are mere caretakers of the founder’s legacy; they are innovators who understand the core values and know how to build on them. This approach ensures that the company continues to evolve while staying true to its foundational principles.
Looking to the Future
As I continue to lead Soon, I’m constantly thinking about how to ensure that the company thrives long after I’m no longer involved. This means more than just scaling the business—it’s about creating a lasting legacy that aligns with the vision and values that have guided us from the start.
The lessons from Built to Last and Good to Great remind me that this is possible, but it requires deliberate action. Building a company that lasts means embedding the founder’s spirit into every aspect of the organization. It means choosing leaders who understand and respect that vision and creating a culture where core values are more than just words—they’re a way of life.
By doing this, we can ensure that even after the founder steps away, the company can continue to operate in a way that honors their legacy and keeps the flame of innovation and purpose burning brightly.
If you’re a founder or a leader thinking about the future of your company, I encourage you to start thinking now about how to institutionalize your vision. How will your company maintain its core values when you’re no longer there to guide it?
At Soon, we’re still on this journey, and I’m excited to share what we’ve learned along the way. Let’s continue this conversation—because building a company that lasts is one of the greatest challenges, and one of the most rewarding.