How often do startup founders feel offended by your point of view or experience which may differ from theirs?

I feel sad and sometimes angry when facing the “shooting the messenger” situation, while I work on/in someone’s venture, putting my time, effort, and even soul into that. I do not even mention the salary that can be way below the market value.

“We are different! We have our unique way!”, – that’s what I hear sometimes from startup founders who are clingily attached to their ideas, especially the ones where product-market was not validated yet. By the way, I was there in their shoes too…

Startup Founder, don’t shoot the messenger!

When you, as a founder, stop listening to the people you hire, they stop too and you start killing your business. I do not say they know stuff better than you do. But everyone has their own set of strengths, expertise, and experience.

What if people working for you care as much as you do about your venture, especially when they negotiated with you to get some shares? What if they put their nights and weekends working on your venture sometimes skipping their plans with a belief and desire that together (!) we build a successful venture and can celebrate all the sacrifices we have been through?

Accept another point of view or experience and learn from it. You can use it for free. Perhaps, embrace it and use it to validate your situation to eliminate potential risks that can burry your startup, e.g. burning all of your cash ahead of time.

When you hear another point of view, there is an opportunity for growth. Just thank the messenger and verify if there is indeed such a risk. That may save you cash and even your reputation. Why hire intelligent people and not use their intelligence to make you stronger?…