The Founder's Mindset

𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗹𝗱: 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿

As a former startup founder now working in corporate America, I’ve seen firsthand the power of the founder mindset—and how rare it can be inside large organizations. I try to bring the founder perspective into everything I do: a bias for action, a distaste for bureaucracy, and a relentless focus on building. This isn’t just about startups—it’s about how we lead, solve problems, and create change, no matter where we sit.

But let’s be real. The founder mindset is often not survivable in corporate America. The risk-aversion, consensus-building, and endless approval cycles can suffocate the very essence of what founders do best—moving fast and taking risks. It’s a tough balancing act, but it’s also where the biggest opportunities lie for those willing to break the mold.

If you're a corporate leader buried in meetings, approvals, and org charts—you might be stuck in 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲. That’s not a bad thing. But in times of rapid change, it’s the 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 that drives results.

𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀: Move fast, break things, and build with obsession.

𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗿𝘀: Maintain order, build consensus, and optimize incrementally.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗗𝗼 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆

Chase Bold Missions – They're not optimizing; they're reinventing.

Act Fast – No "Let's schedule a meeting." Just do it.

Hate Red Tape – Bureaucracy is a blocker, not a feature.

Fail Forward – Try. Be in a "fail fast" mode. Learn. Try again.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀

Founders thrive in chaos. They ask: 𝚆̲𝚑̲𝚢̲ ̲𝚊̲𝚛̲𝚎̲ ̲𝚠̲𝚎̲ ̲𝚍̲𝚘̲𝚒̲𝚗̲𝚐̲ ̲𝚝̲𝚑̲𝚒̲𝚜̲?̲ They lead with urgency, not comfort. When you adopt this mindset, you're not just managing—you’re 𝚋̲𝚞̲𝚒̲𝚕̲𝚍̲𝚒̲𝚗̲𝚐̲ ̲𝚝̲𝚑̲𝚎̲ ̲𝚏̲𝚞̲𝚝̲𝚞̲𝚛̲𝚎̲

𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀: 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁

1. Kill a Meeting – If it doesn’t move the needle, cut it.

2. Ask Big Picture Questions – What if we started from scratch?

3. Speed Over Perfection – Deliver now, iterate later.

4. Outcome oriented – Are we achieving the right outcomes (not just delivering outputs)? 

5. Celebrate Smart Risks – Reward learning, not just outcomes.

TL;DR

The world doesn’t need more managers. It needs builders. Start acting like one—no title change required.