Business Quote by Robert Pozen
“The classic problem as an entrepreneur is that they have a hard time delegating. But that's really crazy. Recruiting other executives is critical, so is dealing with customers and dealing with regulators. Those are functions that only the top founders can do.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Startup Owner's Manual by Steve Blank and Bob Dorf, 2012
Entrepreneurs struggle to delegate because they overestimate their unique role; yet only founders should focus on vision, customer relations, and regulatory strategy while hiring executives for other tasks.
In simple terms: Founders must delegate routine tasks and keep strategic duties.
Key Takeaway
Hire executives for execution, founders keep strategy.
Themes
leadership
delegation
strategy
Mood
determined
focused
Type
business
advice
When to use this quote
- hiring executives
- customer engagement
- regulatory compliance
- scaling business
Key Concepts
entrepreneurship
organizational design
Questions to Reflect On
- Which tasks could you delegate without compromising vision?
- How can you ensure executives align with your strategic goals?
A Different Perspective
Founders may fear loss of control or quality when delegating.
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)