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Running with this theme , Chen used the analogy of a basketball team — when starting out you have to be “ the one scoring all the points and directing the small team ”. But , he noted , “ over time you become the coach , then the general manager , at which point you realise that your product is no longer really your product . Instead , you ’ re akin to the governing board of the business , the regulator and legislative or judicial branch . At some point you have to stop and ensure everything is correctly in place to manage the growth , and that ’ s the transition I had to go through .”
Of course , with that process comes — for many entrepreneurs — the personal challenge as a result of transitioning from the innovator or driver
“ It takes a lot of hubris and lack of self awareness to say ‘ I ’ m going to start a company and do better than anyone else ’”
— Tim Chen , Founder and CEO of Nerdwallet
MARCH 2020