Episode 44

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Published on:

29th Sep 2025

44. Why Your Founder Habits Are Limiting Your Company’s Growth

Founders start their companies by doing it all — every sale, every decision, every problem solved by instinct and sheer determination. But as the company grows, those same habits become the ceiling. This episode walks through the three stages of founder leadership — instinct, growth, and CEO — and shows why clinging to firefighting and heroics keeps teams dependent. The invitation is clear: shift from operator to architect, or risk stalling your company’s growth.

Episode 44: Why Your Founder Habits Are Limiting Your Company’s Growth

Episode 7 in the series, Scaling Growth

You had the courage to do what most people never will — you started a business.

At the start, instinct and grit carried you. Every decision, every problem, every sale ran through you. That’s how you survived.

But here’s the truth: those same habits that once fueled your growth will eventually stall it.

Firefighting, heroics, and “run it through me” approvals don’t scale. They create dependency, keep leadership thin, and make you the ceiling.

This episode is for founders who feel the weight of still being the operator, even though their company has outgrown that stage.

In this episode:

  • The three stages every founder moves through: instinct, growth, and CEO
  • Why the exciting growing pains of stage one turn into exhausting ones in stage two
  • How stage three requires a shift from operator to architect
  • The habits that build momentum early but stall companies later
  • What your company really needs from you if it’s going to grow beyond you

Reflection Questions:

  • Which of your habits are keeping the company dependent on you?
  • Where are you still operating instead of building the structure for others to lead?
  • Who on your team could grow if you stopped “doing” for them and started leading them instead?

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About the Podcast

Leadership in 5
Lead better in 5 minutes. Tactical insights for founders who want clarity, momentum, and a business that doesn’t break them.
Execution without excuses. Five minutes. One insight. No wasted words.

Leadership In 5 is the podcast for founders and executives who are done with vague advice and tired of hearing “just communicate better” like it’s a strategy.

I’m James Mayhew. I’ve served as Chief Culture Officer, coached hundreds of leaders, and made the thousand-plus execution mistakes so you don’t have to. I work with high-growth companies that are scaling fast — but who still want to lead with values, not ego.

Each episode delivers one sharp insight you can act on. You’ll hear practical guidance built on clarity, not charisma. No theory. No fluff. Just real leadership tools that work in real companies with real people.

This show exists to help you stop over-functioning, stop repeating yourself, and stop holding it all together just to keep the wheels turning. You deserve a business that works without breaking you.

The show is grounded in The IDP Way, a leadership system built on Integrity, Dignity, and Prosperity. If those words resonate, you’ll feel at home here. And if they challenge you? Even better. Growth starts with honesty.

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Thanks for listening... and for leading.

About your host

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James Mayhew

James R. Mayhew is a leadership coach and strategic advisor to founders and executives building fast-growth, values-driven companies. He created the IDP Way, a leadership system grounded in integrity, dignity, and prosperity. James helps leaders align people, purpose, and performance so their business can scale with clarity, not chaos.

He’s served as Chief Culture Officer, coached hundreds of leaders, and built execution systems that actually work.