Apr 16, 2024 · 31m · founders-journal
Why I Stepped Down As CEO
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In this episode of Founder's Journal, Morning Brew co-founder Alex Lieberman candidly shares his decision to step down as CEO, detailing the operational realities behind the choice and the profound identity crisis he overcame to redefine personal fulfillment.
Statements from this episode (8)
Lieberman stepped down as Morning Brew CEO months after sale
“The decision to step down as CEO of Morning Brew in April of 2021, which was about five and a half months after we sold the business in October of 2020.”
Morning Brew reached 1.5M subscribers and eight-figure revenue by late 2019
“We have, you know, 1.5 million subscribers roughly at that point. The business is doing eight figures in revenue. We have probably 20 plus team members, very profitable.”
Lieberman: Scaling requires shifting CEO role from product-market fit to org-building
“Chapter two of building a business, which goes from the job of being a CEO is achieving product market fit to the job of being a CEO is Building a company. Like, actually building an organization that allows you to grow beyond a single product and be around fo…”
Lieberman: Austin Rief took over CEO-level operating duties from 2019 to 2020
“From 2019 to through 20 20, Austin had very much taken on the responsibilities that were necessary for a CEO Who was now in kind of the company building mode and no longer in the startup building mode.”
Lieberman admits co-founder Austin Rief was a better stage-two CEO
“I believe that Austin was a better stage two CEO at the time than I was.”
Lieberman: Post-exit identity loss and inadequacy feelings are widespread among entrepreneurs
“What I've learned is this is extremely commonplace for entrepreneurs. And, you know, in my 50 plus conversations with post-exit founders, I've kind of heard this same story over and over and over.”
Lieberman: Multi-decade founder-CEOs like Bezos and Zuckerberg are rare exceptions
“Most entrepreneurs don't run their businesses for 25 years. Those people who were on my Mount Rushmore were literally the exceptions to the rule, not the rule.”
Stepping down as Morning Brew CEO was Lieberman's hardest, best decision
“Stepping out of the CEO role of Morning Brew was probably the best decision I could have ever made, but it was also the hardest decision I made. Have probably ever made, but I think it made me grow up and learn more about myself in a way faster period of time …”