Recently I met the founder of a very successful startup gearing up for their IPO.
Recently he voluntarily stepped down from the CEO position. He’s not involved in the day-to-day business anymore. He has a much better work-life balance now and spends more time with his family. He’s living the life.
Meanwhile, he’s still very involved in the company. His extra time allows him to come up with fresh new ideas and a long-term vision for the company.
Founders always dream about escaping from the day-to-day grind. It’s easy to think that the only way to get out of the grind is probably by selling the company one day.
But if the company is past the escape velocity and running on its own, the founder getting out of the day-to-day work becomes a viable (and often better) option. Success almost always brings more win-win options for all parties involved; the hard part is getting to that point.