What's your Founder Persona?

Every entrepreneur is unique. 

Just like how no two fingerprints are alike, every founder has their own personality and identity that influences every aspect of their business. 

Some are visionaries, constantly dreaming up new and innovative ideas. 

Others are risk-takers, willing to take a chance on a new venture when others may hesitate. 

And then there are the data geeks, who pore over spreadsheets for hours on end before making any decision. 

In this article, we're exploring the different types of founder personalities, what makes them tick, and how their quirks can impact their business success. 

By understanding your personality types, you can gain insight into your own strengths and weaknesses as a founder and learn how to leverage your personality to achieve success.

Grab a cuppa as we dive right in.  Do you recognise yourself in any of these personas?

The Ambitious Founder: Do you want to reach for the stars (without burning out in the process)?

Are you an ‘Ambitious Founder’?

• You have big plans to expand your team, increase resources, and increase the company’s profit, but you are struggling to execute them.
• You find yourself jumping from one idea to another.
• You’re happy to put your pride aside if it means you can hire someone who can help you achieve your vision faster.
• You’re a lifelong learner. You like to read the latest books on business and your industry, and you are open to change.

The ‘Ambitious Founder’ usually needs someone to help them decipher which ideas are feasible to achieve their goals.

The Stressed Founder: When you want to keep your sanity, but your business is driving you insane.

Are you a 'Stressed Founder’?

• You work long hours and don't prioritise your own 'downtime'.
• You're currently running the company, managing employees, and managing several departments.
• You are overwhelmed, exhausted, and lacking a work-life balance.
• You may be feeling like you are in crisis and questioning your role within the business.
• Often you may feel like you are being pulled in too many different directions.
• You struggle to find the headspace for creativity or innovation - and this gets you down.

We have worked with many ‘Stressed Founders’ – you're not alone, it's common when your business (your baby) reaches a critical point of evolution.

The Purpose-Driven Founder: Do you want to build a business that saves the world and makes a difference?

Are you a ‘Purpose-Driven’ Founder’?

• You have strictly recruited staff who share the same ideals, values, and vision as you to protect the commitment to purpose.
• You have a great company and culture and are passionate about what you do.
• You want to scale your company but you’re busy and you worry that scaling will result in losing the culture you’ve worked so hard to build.  
• You haven’t got the knowledge or experience to scale and need help.

The ‘Purpose-Driven’ Founder needs a right hand with matching values and ideals. They will need to navigate how to introduce a new face and dynamic to the culture they’ve created.

The Reluctant Founder: Going from 'Oh no' to 'Let's go'.

Are you a 'Reluctant Scale-Up Founder’?

If any of the below are familiar, this could be you:

• It's hard to 'let go of the vine'.
• You like things done a certain way and someone coming in and changing everything might f*ck it all up.
• You have perfectionist tendencies.
• Trusting others enough to delegate is tough.

Often, the 'Reluctant Scale-Up Founder' uses their perfectionism to justify not ‘letting go’.

The Insecure Founder: It’s time to kick impostor syndrome to the curb and rule the world.

Are you an 'Insecure Founder’?

• Being ‘the one who knows everything’ is tied to your sense of self-worth and identity.
• You secretly worry that hiring someone with skills and experience to rival yours will disrupt your identity and how you want to be perceived by others in the business.
• You may have previously tried to hire senior roles which have not worked out.
• You don’t enjoy or welcome challenges from others.

We've found that being an 'Insecure Founder' means walking a lonely path.

The Innovative Founder: Do you want to stay ahead of the curve and disrupt your industry?

Are you an ‘Innovative Founder’?

• You have created a business born out of something genuinely new.
• You launch products and services that push boundaries.
• Your approach to business is innovative in every way, not just in terms of your customer offering, but also in the way you structure your teams and processes.
• You need support in prioritising your stream of ideas and help to decipher what’s commercially viable versus innovation for innovation’s sake.

The ‘Innovative Founder’ needs someone pragmatic who can balance their idealism.

The Cynical Founder: Struggling to turn negativity into positive action. 

Are you a 'Cynical Founder’?

Take a look at the below and see if you can relate to these statements:

• You struggle to trust people and find it difficult to delegate to others.
• You like things done your way.
• You don’t always enjoy working with others, so you take a solo approach to your work.
• You don’t always feel that you can trust external companies to help. You may have been burned in the past by ‘traditional’ recruiters.

We've found that the 'Cynical Founder' needs a lot of support with ‘letting go of the vine’.

The Out-of-Depth Founder: You’re swimming in the deep end but feel like you need someone to throw you a lifeline.  

Are you an ‘Out-of-Depth Founder’?

• Everything in your business feels like it’s spiralling out of control.
• You want to scale the business but are unsure of how to do it. 
• You struggle to ‘let go of the vine’ and delegate tasks to your team.
• The thought of trusting and letting someone else take over is anxiety-inducing – if you feel out of depth, how will others cope?

The ‘Out-of-Depth’ Founder often needs reassurance to prepare them for the change that’s needed.

In Summary

Understanding the different types of Founder personalities can provide valuable insights into your own strengths and weaknesses as a business owner. Did you recognise yourself in any of the descriptions listed above? 

Whether you're a stressed-out dreamer, a reluctant superhero, or a purpose-driven innovator, there are strategies you can use to leverage your unique personality traits and achieve success. 

By embracing your quirks, learning from your mistakes, and staying true to your vision, you can build a thriving business that reflects your unique personality and makes a positive impact on the world. 

So go forth, embrace your inner Founder, and make your mark on the world!

P.s. if you think you need a ‘Right Hand’ (COO/ Integrator) or just fancy a chat, drop me a message!