Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky recently addressed a concern raised by women founders in the tech industry. They feel they can’t embrace “founder mode” the same way men can. Founder mode is a management approach in which leaders are deeply involved in their companies’ operations.
This contrasts with “manager mode,” where leaders delegate responsibilities extensively. Paul Graham, a founding partner of startup accelerator Y Combinator, detailed the concept of founder mode in an essay that sparked reactions and discussions on social media.
Women in tech shared experiences of facing backlash when adopting a hands-on leadership style.
Women facing backlash in founder mode
Some said they were even ‘canceled’ for being in a founder mode.
Chesky highlighted the criticism faced by women and pointed to gender biases in startup culture. Chesky co-founded Airbnb in 2008. He credits prominent figures like Jony Ive and Hiroki Asai from Apple with inspiring him to embrace founder mode.
He also cited iconic leaders such as Steve Jobs, Walt Disney, and Elon Musk, who embody the principles of founder mode. Chesky said, “Women founders have been reaching out to me, telling me they don’t have permission to run their companies in Founder Mode the same way men can. This needs to change.”
The discussion around founder mode and the challenges women entrepreneurs face in adopting this approach has brought attention to prevailing gender disparities in the tech industry.
As the conversation continues, it highlights the need for greater support and equal opportunities for women leaders in the startup world.
