Founders: Should YOU be CEO? Are You Sure?

Founder-led doesn’t HAVE to mean being founder-run. What does it really take to step away from the founder grind and still stay true to your business? In this 5-minute short, Stu Macdonald, founder of ManiLife Peanut Butter, explains why so many entrepreneurs get stuck doing “an elite job they’ve never been trained for” and how he escaped the stress hole by changing the way he structured his business. Stu reflects on: Why being founder-led doesn’t have to mean being founder-run Why most first senior hires don’t work out and why that’s okay. How the right team can turn chaos into momentum. Selected and hand-picked by the brilliant team at MKJ Ignite – the FMCG recruitment experts helping challenger brands grow with the right people in the right roles – this short is full of practical people insights. Billy, Paul, and Immy have combed through the Brand Growth Heroes archives to bring you the most valuable founder wisdom on hiring and scaling teams that thrive. If you're wondering whether or not you need help with your recruitment, or would like to ask for some advice, you can e-mail Billy directly at billy.maddock@mkj-ignite.co.uk Connect with Billy Maddock on LinkedIn Connect with Immy Southwell on LinkedIn Connect with Paul Jones on LinkedIn Follow MKJ Ignite on Instagram Connect with MKJ Ignite on LinkedIn

You can listen to Founders: Should YOU be CEO? Are You Sure? online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Founders: Should YOU be CEO? Are You Sure? is an episode from Brand Growth Heroes by Brand Growth Heroes Mini MBA.

This episode is 7:54 long.

This episode was published on Sep 19, 2025.

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