In a recent LinkedIn post, Alvin Huang discusses a common pitfall for founders: the tendency to do everything themselves, which he argues is a form of self-sabotage that hinders company growth and team development. Huang shares his personal experience building Truegenics, where he initially believed being involved in every aspect of the business was a sign of strong leadership.
Huang reflects on his past mindset, stating:
“I thought being across everything made me a strong founder. Turns out, it just made me the most expensive bottleneck in the building.”
He elaborates on how this approach led him to spend time on tasks far below his executive level, such as approving minor expenses or participating in calls that no longer required his strategic input. This created a significant delay for more crucial, high-value decisions.
The Hidden Costs of Founder Over-Involvement
Huang highlights that the impact of a founder being the central bottleneck extends beyond just slow growth. A more detrimental effect, he points out, is on the team’s morale and initiative. When founders consistently step in to solve problems or make decisions, the team can become disincentivized to think critically or take ownership.
“Meanwhile, the $20K decisions were still sitting there, waiting on me,” Huang writes, illustrating the opportunity cost of his micromanagement. He further explains the impact on his team:
“A team that had stopped thinking for themselves because they knew I’d swoop in anyway. That was on me.”
The Necessity of ‘Firing Yourself’
The core of Huang’s message revolves around the critical juncture in a founder’s journey where their past strengths become liabilities. He emphasizes that clinging to outdated roles out of habit or ego is detrimental. Huang advocates for a deliberate process of stepping back and delegating, which he terms ‘firing yourself’ from specific roles.
He describes this process as uncomfortable but essential for scaling. Huang outlines key realities for founders:
- “You can’t scale what you refuse to let go of.”
- “Your best people won’t wait forever (they’ll just leave).”
- “Every hat you hold onto is a tax on your team’s momentum.”
According to Huang, relinquishing control is not a sign of weakness but an indicator of understanding the true nature of leadership. The faster a founder removes themselves as an obstacle, the quicker the business can surpass their individual capacity, which is the ultimate goal of building a scalable enterprise.
Identifying the Next Role to Delegate
Huang concludes by prompting founders to reflect on their own organizations and identify a specific role they need to step away from in the current quarter. This self-awareness and proactive delegation, he suggests, are key to unlocking further growth and empowering the team.
“Letting go is a sign you’ve finally understood what your job actually is. The faster you get out of the way, the faster the business outgrows you. And that’s exactly what’s supposed to happen.”
His insights serve as a valuable reminder for leaders navigating the complexities of scaling a business and fostering a capable, independent team.
📝 About This Content
This article is based on insights shared by Alvin Huang on LinkedIn.
📅 Originally posted on April 2, 2026 | View original post on LinkedIn →