You Must Be The Keeper of the Vision

Thursday, April 5, 2007 at 04:05pm by David Askaripour in Start-Ups

We’re always talking about teamwork and how everyone a part of a startup — the team — has to have 100% of their hearts and minds devoted to the business in order for it to succeed. Well, I don’t believe that.

I don’t think that all the partners of your business will ever be as passionate about the startup as the person who came up with the vision — the founder. Sure, there will be many cases were an entrepreneur builds a team of super-enthusiastic partners who want to see the business succeed just as much as they do.

But, that doesn’t mean that their passion will be on the level of yours. That’s why it’s so important for the founder — the dreamer of the company — to constantly evangelize the team with the company vision. To constantly reiterate the idea over and over again. To constantly share the vision and the dream of the company as if it was the first time you were sharing it.

That, my friends, is the single most important function of the company founder. The founder must be the guardian and keeper of the vision at all times. The vision is your baby and you have to hold onto it, nourish it, and nurture it every step of the way.

When zeal and passion begins to diminish among the team, it’s your job to rekindle the spark and reignite the team with a fire to see the vision through. It’s a tough job, but it’s yours. The founder’s role in the startup is absolutely critical to the success of the company.

Having an idea and building a team is just putting your foot in the door. One you’ve done that, the real work beings. People are going to look to you to provide that surge of positive energy, never-ending enthusiasm, and constant flow of passion that seems to go on and on like the energizer bunny.

You, the founder, are the head of the boat. You need your team to row and they need you to navigate — neither of you can function without the other. Take control, instill passion, and navigate your team into the open waters of success, prosperity, and brilliance.

2 Comments

Leave a Comment