In my experience operating a startup and talking with other founders, typically one person on the founder team is the visionary and has the most attachment to the big idea behind the business.
Vision and passion are essential aspects of any startup. Startups need an evangelist that can excite people about the work. This vision is what you are selling to prospective customers, employees, investors, and partners. It tells them why would they want to be involved with your business. Vision is a requirement necessary to drive your business forward.
There is a downside to be aware of too. This attachment can be a source of blindness when there’s a need to pivot. If a founder is too invested in a singular path to realize the vision, that becomes a business risk. That’s when the co-Founders, mentors, advisors, or employees must challenge the visionary, to help prevent the startup from missing opportunities or red flags.
The vision provides a framework, but it has to be flexible like a business plan. Things are always changing. Successful founders are guided by their vision and plan as they consider their responses to the external forces that influence their business.
So founders, when challenged, ask yourself if your reaction is guided by the operating realities, or if you are missing important inputs because they’re in your blindspot. Don’t just rely on the mirrors, turn your head and make sure with your own eyes that there is nothing obscuring your view.
Upstarts 