‘Founder Mode’

Brian, the founder of Airbnb, shared his experience about how he was advised to run his company as it grew, but this advice led to disastrous results. He had to find a better way to manage his company, which he did by studying Steve Jobs' approach at Apple. This new approach has been successful for Airbnb, with one of the best free cash flow margins in Silicon Valley. Other successful founders in the audience had similar experiences, receiving the same advice that ultimately damaged their companies. The reason behind this is that the advice given was suited for professional managers, not founders. Founders have unique capabilities that managers lack, and not utilizing these skills feels wrong to them. This misconception stems from the idea that there is a single, universal way to run a company, regardless of whether it's founded or managed. However, founders and managers have different strengths and approaches, and what works for one may not work for the other. This highlights the importance of understanding the differences between founding and managing a company.