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Business & Bullsh*t: Do I Really Need a CEO? Founders Discuss Executive Leadership (EP #103)

Sep 7
2 min read

Watch the full episode on Youtube:

The Founderz Lounge Episode #103 with Don Varady and Steve Bon.


Do you really need a CEO, or are you hiring the title because it feels like the next step?


In this episode, Don and Steve break down executive leadership through the lens of founders who have actually made the hires, gotten some right, and learned from the ones that did not work.


Don shares why Clean Eatz hired a CMO before the brand was ready, what went wrong with a later CEO hire, and why experience on paper does not automatically mean someone will fit your culture or leadership team.They get into when to hire C-suite leadership, why founders should hire slow and vet beyond the highlight reel, how to build trust with new executives, and when a strong Director of Operations may be more valuable than jumping straight to a CEO.


They also talk about delegation, staying connected to legal, finance, and growth, and the balance every founder eventually has to figure out: giving leaders enough room to run the business without completely losing touch with it.


If you are a founder or business owner building an executive leadership team, scaling a company, or trying to get out of the day-to-day without losing the culture you built, this episode is for you.


Come for the banter. Leave thinking more like a founder.


Timestamps:

[00:00] Trailer

[01:01] Building Trust With Executive Leadership

[02:25] Hiring a CMO Too Early

[03:58] Hire Slow, Fire Fast

[06:16] When Executive Hires Go Wrong

[08:15] Do You Really Need a CEO?

[13:49] The Leadership Hire Don Would Make First

[14:57] How to Vet C-Suite Candidates

[19:03] Executive Experience vs Culture Fit

[19:39] What Founders Should Never Fully Delegate

[27:53] Can the Business Run Without You?

[28:40] Executive Leadership Red Flags


Key Takeaways:

• Hire slow, fire fast. ~Don Varady


• The right executive hire can still be wrong if the business is not ready for the role. ~Don Varady


• A strong Director of Operations can be the founder’s right hand. ~Don Varady


• “Don’t hire on a highlight reel.” ~Don Varady


• Experience on paper means nothing if the leader cannot get adoption from the team. ~Steve Bon


• Founders can delegate responsibility without completely removing themselves from the parts of the business that matter most. ~Don Varady


Connect w/ Don and Steve:

Don Varady:


Steve Bon:

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