Introduction and make them better. Sometimes the thing you will need to break is yourself. So, let me tell you a story. When I was in my younger years, I was a great product manager. I built great products with engineering, I helped sales sell giant deals, I was ng all over the world; it was awesome. But I was ready for the next step, I wanted to move up the ladder, I wanted to be a manager. All the things that made me an excellent individual contributor — my drive, my skills, my experience, and a healthy amount of self-con nce and self-promotion — got me noticed, and soon enough, I got the job. I was managing a team. And you know what, I sucked at it. I was awful. I was so used to talking about me, I didn’t know how to talk about the team. I didn’t realize that my personal brand had changed, and my team was now a part of it. I was lucky to have a great manager who guided me through this and taught me to bang the drum for my employees.It was a scary transition; I was worried I would lose the limelight. But what I got, in the end, was so much more: a team that has stood with me for years. We have celebrated victories together and propped each other up in defeat. That important lesson for me is akin to the transition you will have to make as a great founder. At the beginning, it’s all about you. Your idea. Your drive. Your vision. There will come the critical time when you need to bring others into your inner circle. Whether it is nding a co-founder or hiring the initial team, you will need to put your ego aside and trust in others to help your dream. This is but one of the changes that you will need to make as you embark on your startup journey. Embrace the change; it is the only constant. 88