Ceo Quote by Ben Horowitz
“The thing that's confusing for investors is that founders don't know how to be CEO. I didn't know how to do the job when I was a CEO. Founder CEOs don't know how to be CEOs, but it doesn't mean they can't learn. The question is... can the founder learn that job and can they tolerate all mistakes they will make doing it?”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Hard Thing About Hard Things, Ben Horowitz, 2014
Founders often lack CEO experience, but they can learn the role and endure inevitable mistakes.
In simple terms: Founders can become CEOs by learning and tolerating errors.
Key Takeaway
Learn, adapt, and accept mistakes.
Themes
leadership
learning
mistakes
entrepreneurship
Mood
reflective
pragmatic
Type
advice
business
When to use this quote
- startup leadership
- founder transition
- decision making
Key Concepts
CEO skills
growth mindset
risk tolerance
Questions to Reflect On
- Can a founder develop effective CEO habits?
- How much error is acceptable?
A Different Perspective
Learning may be slow and costly; not all founders succeed.
