There's a joke that scientists say: “We need just one miracle—the Big Bang. We'll explain the rest ourselves.” Even science hungers for a creation myth—the secret that sparked it all.
Something similar happens in business.
When a company already exists, grows fast, and seems unstoppable, managers, investors, and journalists start believing they understand this “machine” inside out. They grip the wheel confidently, press the gas hard, and enthusiastically pick new upgrades.
The founder is rarely remembered. That was long ago — crude, small-scale, and financially insignificant. Since then, they've jacked value a hundred times, gone global, rung the IPO bell.
It all works fine while the market stays stable. But when a crisis, new technology, pandemic, or war suddenly demands change — none of these “demigods” have a clue what to do.
Sometimes in those breaking points, the founder steps back in, grabs the wheel, works wonders: guts "essential" costs, sweet-talks creditors into debt swaps, spots growth in dead ends, reinvents the model, and so on.
Sometimes, in these turning points, the founder returns, grabs the wheel, works wonders:
slashes “essential” expenses,
convinces creditors to restructure debt,
finds growth where none seems possible,
reinvents the business model, and so on.
Suddenly all remember — it was the entrepreneur who creates the Big Bang.
But a couple years after the storm, when business climbs again, the new hires try hard to forget.
Yours sincerely,
-Alexander
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.
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